Australia's Oscar Piastri appears to person missed retired connected a Formula One contention thrust for 2022, with confirmation Williams person signed Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi.
Albon, the erstwhile Red Bull driver, replaces Mercedes-bound George Russell, portion Latifi volition proceed for a 3rd play with the team.
Piastri, who won past year's F3 rubric and presently leads the F2 championship, had been mentioned arsenic a imaginable contender for a Williams drive.
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If helium wins the F2 title this year, his open-wheel vocation volition person deed a roadblock, arsenic the rules wouldn't let a 2nd play successful that category.
The lone disposable thrust remaining for adjacent twelvemonth is Valtteri Bottas' teammate astatine Alfa Romeo, with Piastri not expected to beryllium successful the framework for that seat.
The Alpine Academy operator could inactive instrumentality for a 2nd play successful F2 if helium doesn't triumph the championship, portion a trial and reserve operator relation for a Formula One squad is besides a possibility.
Piastri has been linked to Williams successful a 3rd operator role, portion helium is besides a subordinate of the Alpine Academy, meaning helium could onshore the 3rd operator presumption astatine that team, with the anticipation of replacing Fernando Alonso successful the contention squad successful 2023.
Piastri's manager, former F1 operator Mark Webber, precocious told Wide World of Sports that the 20-year-old is 1 of the champion 3 juniors successful the world, noting that Alpine had been caught retired by however rapidly he'd progressed up the ladder.
"They don't privation to beryllium losing him, they're moving hard to support him and that's a tremendous concern for Oscar to beryllium in, due to the fact that he's doing each his talking connected the track," Webber said.
For Albon, a instrumentality with Williams is the champion helium could person hoped for, aft losing his Red Bull spot to Sergio Perez successful 2021.
"We complaint Alex precise highly and with our line-up for 2022 fixed, our nonsubjective was to assistance find him a spot successful different squad wherever helium could summation much F1 mileage and acquisition and we are delighted to person done that with Williams Racing," said Red Bull brag Christian Horner.
"Alex has been a hugely invaluable plus successful his relation arsenic our trial and reserve operator this year, helping bring show from the simulator to the car each weekend, but for his vocation it was important not to walk different play retired of an F1 contention seat."
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