MICK SCHUMACHER and hotshot Nyck de Vries are among four drivers to take part in Alpine testing for a spot on the team for the 2023 Formula One season, according to reports.
Alpine will lose two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin at the end of the season following the retirement of Sebastian Vettel.
The French owned F1 team also dropped the ball with Oscar Piastri, who rebuked their offer of a race seat in favour of replacing Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren.
And according to Racing News 365, in a bid to spare their blushes, Alpine will be holding a test as part of an in-season programme, which was meant for Piastri using a 2021 Alpine A521.
Schumacher, 23, and De Vries, 27, are two of four drivers who will drive at the Hungaroring just days before the Singapore Grand Prix on October 2.
The son of seven-time F1 world champ Michael, is reportedly set to leave the Ferrari Driver Academy at the end of the season when his contract expires.
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Schumacher is currently in his second season at Haas and has shown signs of promise, scoring 12 points this term.
De Vries, meanwhile, stole the show at Monza, securing a points finish in his first F1 race after finishing ninth behind a safety car at the weekend.
The Mercedes reserve took the wheel of the Williams as a substitute for Alex Albon, who was receiving treatment for appendicitis.
Other drivers named in the report who will be involved for the test in Hungary are F2’s Jack Doohan and IndyCar driver Colton Herta.
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Doohan is a contender for the 2024 race seat, but that could be pushed forward a year following a strong campaign in F2.
Soon-to-be retired four-time F1 world champion Vettel was also rumoured to have held talks over racing for Alpine.
However, the German will NOT be involved in testing.
Despite announcing his retirement, Vettel says “time will tell whether I get bored” of watching F1 from home.
Vettel said in Monza: “Time will tell what you know, [if there] will be something that is possible to do if there is an offer of any such nature or not.
“Then I will see how I feel like at the moment.
“I’m quite happy to spend more time on other things and look forward to seeing the kids more and stuff like that.
“Time will tell whether I get bored within three months or three years or I don’t know.”
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
