Alpine has signed rookie Formula 2 championship contender Paul Aron as its reserve driver for the 2025 season.
Aron stepped up to F2 full-time this season with Hitech – ran by Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes – and has impressed with four pole positions and seven podiums. While he has yet to convert a pole into a victory, Aron is currently fourth in the championship standings and 36.5 points behind leader Gabriel Bortoleto, who he will start from pole ahead of in Qatar on Sunday.
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The Estonian was not affiliated with a young driver program this year, having been dropped by Mercedes late last season, but will now become Alpine reserve driver as current reserve Jack Doohan steps up to a race seat in 2025.
“We are very pleased to have Paul join BWT Alpine Formula One Team as our 2025 reserve driver,” executive advisor Flavio Braitore said. “There is a generational shift in Formula 1 at the moment, as we see with many young drivers coming into the sport and making an impact. We believe Paul is one of the best talents and we look forward to developing him into an F1 driver.”
Aron led the F2 standings for the early part of this season and says he is keen to finish off the year strongly before he takes on the Alpine role.
“It’s incredibly special to be joining BWT Alpine Formula One Team,” Aron said. “It is clear that this is a great place to be for any young driver and I’m really pleased that Flavio and Oliver have given me this opportunity.
“Before 2025 and the hard work that will come with being the team’s reserve driver, I have a championship to focus on for the remainder of this year and I will be giving it my all to compete for the title. I’m looking forward to really beginning the work and continuing my career pathway in motorsport.”
Alpine also announced it has retained Mick Schumacher as part of its World Endurance Championship line-up earlier this week, with the German leaving his reserve role at Mercedes in F1 at the same time.