Piastri: "2022 won't be wasted year" as Alpine F1 reserve
Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri doesn't believe 2022 will be a wasted year as he is set to spend the season on the sidelines as Alpine's reserve driver.
Piastri took a convincing F2 title in 2021 as a rookie, his third straight title in three years after previously conquering FIA F3 and the Formula Renault Eurocup.
But despite being tipped as one of the hottest talents to come through the ranks in recent years, the 20-year-old Australian will spend the 2022 season without a race seat.
Instead, the Alpine academy graduate will act as the F1 squad's official reserve driver, splitting duties between the simulator and travelling to the majority of the races.
PLUS: The F1 junior that has run out of places to prove himself
It draws parallels with Alpine race driver Esteban Ocon's time as a reserve driver at Mercedes in 2019, before establishing himself at the Enstone outfit in 2020 and earning a three-year contract extension last season.
Piastri says he "wouldn't 100% rule out" a one-off race appearance though "highly doubts" he'll do a full season, but contends that 2022 won't be a wasted year as he is set to absorb a huge amount of information by working with Ocon and double F1 world champion Fernando Alonso.
"I definitely don't think it will be a wasted year," Piastri replied when asked by Autosport how he will be approaching his 2022 programme.
"It goes without saying that I would have loved to have been on the grid, of course. But a lot of the things I can pick up next year, like the travelling schedule of an F1 season, having to adapt to that without the pressure of having to actually drive is quite beneficial, I guess.
"And listening to Fernando and Esteban also with a new car for next year, I can listen to how the car's developing and with all my work in the sim I can try and contribute to that.
Piastri tested the 2021 Alpine following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last month
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Piastri, who is set the test the 2021 Alpine car at various points across this season to assist his preparations, acknowledged he doesn't have to be in the car to become a more rounded driver and learn to work with engineers at a Formula 1 level of detail.
PLUS: Ranking the top 10 F2 and F3 drivers of 2021
"There's a lot of other things outside of driving that make a successful F1 driver," he explained.
"Next year one of the main parts of my role next year is to learn as much as I can off Fernando and Esteban. Just listening to the way they go about things, the way they make suggestions to the engineers; the amount of capacity they have left to think about ideas and what to change on the car outside of just driving is impressive.
"And I think that's the kind of stuff that I can take forward. That I don't need to be physically driving for. That's definitely going to be an important part in the next year."
Related video
The original F1 maestro who set the bar for Schumacher and Hamilton
Alonso: "Luxury" to leave and return to F1 on my own terms
Horner: Red Bull must try to keep "riding the wave" of 2023 F1 success
Horner: Red Bull must try to keep "riding the wave" of 2023 F1 success Horner: Red Bull must try to keep "riding the wave" of 2023 F1 success
Horner: Perez still held back by lack of confidence in F1's high speed corners
Horner: Perez still held back by lack of confidence in F1's high speed corners Horner: Perez still held back by lack of confidence in F1's high speed corners
The art of compromise behind an "emotionally draining" F1 job
The art of compromise behind an "emotionally draining" F1 job The art of compromise behind an "emotionally draining" F1 job
McLaren: No shortcut for Piastri in understanding F1 tyre deg challenge
McLaren: No shortcut for Piastri in understanding F1 tyre deg challenge McLaren: No shortcut for Piastri in understanding F1 tyre deg challenge
McLaren: Red Bull “still a step too far” despite Norris F1 rallying call
McLaren: Red Bull “still a step too far” despite Norris F1 rallying call McLaren: Red Bull “still a step too far” despite Norris F1 rallying call
The physical and mental tuning helping Piastri acclimatise to F1
The physical and mental tuning helping Piastri acclimatise to F1 The physical and mental tuning helping Piastri acclimatise to F1
Alpine: Gasly/Ocon late switch in F1 Japanese GP right thing to do
Alpine: Gasly/Ocon late switch in F1 Japanese GP right thing to do Alpine: Gasly/Ocon late switch in F1 Japanese GP right thing to do
Gasly 'doesn't understand' Alpine order to swap positions in F1 Japanese GP
Gasly 'doesn't understand' Alpine order to swap positions in F1 Japanese GP Gasly 'doesn't understand' Alpine order to swap positions in F1 Japanese GP
The concerning questions raised by Alpine’s latest F1 upheaval
The concerning questions raised by Alpine’s latest F1 upheaval The concerning questions raised by Alpine’s latest F1 upheaval
M-Sport: Tanak's WRC Rally Chile lead down to “hard work not luck”
M-Sport: Tanak's WRC Rally Chile lead down to “hard work not luck” M-Sport: Tanak's WRC Rally Chile lead down to “hard work not luck”
WRC Chile: Tanak ends Saturday comfortably on top
WRC Chile: Tanak ends Saturday comfortably on top WRC Chile: Tanak ends Saturday comfortably on top
Evans explains Toyota's WRC Rally Chile tyre strategy mistake
Evans explains Toyota's WRC Rally Chile tyre strategy mistake Evans explains Toyota's WRC Rally Chile tyre strategy mistake
WRC Chile: Tanak in control as Toyota tyre call backfires
WRC Chile: Tanak in control as Toyota tyre call backfires WRC Chile: Tanak in control as Toyota tyre call backfires
Ranking the top 10 Benetton F1 drivers
Ranking the top 10 Benetton F1 drivers Ranking the top 10 Benetton F1 drivers
When Mansell and Senna settled their differences in an F1 pitlane scuffle
When Mansell and Senna settled their differences in an F1 pitlane scuffle When Mansell and Senna settled their differences in an F1 pitlane scuffle
The F1 treasure map where Hamilton hopes Mercedes hits gold
The F1 treasure map where Hamilton hopes Mercedes hits gold The F1 treasure map where Hamilton hopes Mercedes hits gold
The two F1 rules problems Perez’s recent mishaps expose
The two F1 rules problems Perez’s recent mishaps expose The two F1 rules problems Perez’s recent mishaps expose
How football has posed difficult questions for F1
How football has posed difficult questions for F1 How football has posed difficult questions for F1
The fans that offer a ray of light in an increasingly partisan F1
The fans that offer a ray of light in an increasingly partisan F1 The fans that offer a ray of light in an increasingly partisan F1
Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023 Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip
How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.