McLaren provided with fourth reserve option as Alpine make "gallant gesture"

McLaren has been offered an additional option by Alpine should Daniel Ricciardo fail to overcome Covid-19 ahead of next weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.

Alpine has put forward reserve driver Oscar Piastri as a potential replacement, joining a pool that also includes other back-up options in Mercedes reserves Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries, as well as former F1 driver Paul di Resta.

Piastri is deserving of a place in F1 after winning F3 and F2 over the past two years but has found his path blocked this season by Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.

Via a statement, Alpine said: "In the spirit of offering maximum racing opportunities to our stable of young talent, we have agreed that McLaren F1 may call upon Alpine F1 reserve driver Oscar Piastri in the event one of their drivers is unable to race.

"Oscar will remain fully contracted to Alpine and we will retain first option on his services."

Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has naturally wished Ricciardo "a speedy recovery".

On Piastri, he added: "It would be great if Oscar could get some races under his belt in Formula 1, get that very valuable experience.

"Yeah, a gallant gesture with hopefully a team we're going to be competing against.

"But still we talked to McLaren about Oscar being a reserve if they need him.

"He's definitely our reserve first and foremost so if there is a conflict we will definitely take him but if Daniel can't drive then we'll offer him up."

In the spirit of offering maximum racing opportunities to our stable of young talent, we have agreed that @McLarenF1 may call upon BWT Alpine F1 Team Reserve Driver @OscarPiastri in the event one of their drivers is unable to race. pic.twitter.com/etmryT1UrJ

— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) March 12, 2022

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