F2 leader is clear: 'That is a sacrifice I am willing to make'

Oscar Piastri seems to be the favorite to win the Formula 2 championship with a 36 point lead over Guanyu Zhou. The Australian would love to be promoted to Formula 1 next year, but this seems unlikely.

The 20-year-old Alpine Academy driver has already indicated that the chances of him driving in Formula 1 next year are slim. Therefore he is trying to focus his attention on a role as a reserve driver at Alpine. He will use the two and a half months between Formula 2 races to discuss his future.

“I will see if Alpine has got anything planned and most likely I will try to work out plans for next year because we certainly have a lot of time to discuss it now,” Piastri told Autosport.

Not ideal

Becoming a reserve driver at a Formula One team is not a bad idea at the moment, as next season it will be mandatory for rookie drivers to drive in the first free practice sessions.

"It [a reserve driver role] would be helpful and helpful for all the young guys coming up getting those FP1 sessions. That is what we are targeting at the moment and it would most likely lead to a year on the sidelines which is never ideal, but it is not the first person it has happened to and it won’t be the last. That is a sacrifice I’m willing to take if it leads to a race seat for the following year,” Piastri said.