Alpine "birth" A522 as Piastri honoured

Alpine has 'fired up' the A522 for the first time ahead of the new F1 season.

Although F1 will race to a new set of aerodynamic regulations with engine specifications remaining unchanged in 2022, the initial fire up of a new car remains a big moment for teams.

Alpine had been teasing the ignition across the past week with a series of audio clips prefixed with, "ATTENTION: This is 𝙣𝙤𝙩 the sound of our fire-up".

On Friday, the team finally gave its fans what they had been waiting for, writing: "ATTENTION: This 𝙞𝙨 the sound of our fire-up!

"Heralding a new era of Alpine innovation and progress. Pushing the boundaries of F1 technology. Showcasing the collaborative spirit between Enstone and Viry.

"This is the birth of the A522. This is our very first 2022 fire-up."

ATTENTION: This 𝙞𝙨 the sound of our fire-up 💥

Heralding a new era of #Alpine innovation and progress. Pushing the boundaries of #F1 technology. Showcasing the collaborative spirit between Enstone and Viry. This is the birth of the #A522. This is our very first 2022 fire-up. pic.twitter.com/mmemLxhDvB

— Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) January 21, 2022

Piastri awarded Brabham honour

The achievements of Alpine's reserve driver this year and F2 champion Oscar Piastri have been recognised by Motorsport Australia with the Sir Jack Brabham award.

It is the second year in succession Piastri has received the honour that rewards outstanding achievements and success by an Australian motorsport competitor at an international level.

The 20-year-old is the first driver to take home the award in back-to-back seasons, with IndyCar star Will Power the only other double winner.

“A big thank you to the Motorsport Australia Board for choosing me as this year’s Sir Jack Brabham Award recipient," said Piastri.

"It’s quite special knowing that I am in the rare company of people to have won the award twice, with Will Power being the only other.

“While it might not directly compare to the thrill of winning races or the championship title, I’m still very appreciative of these awards because they are linked to my success and are a nice bonus for all my hard work."

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