Colton Herta participates in the private test of the Alpine F1 team?[F1-Gate.com]

-Colton Herta will reportedly participate in a private test for the Alpine F1 team. This is expected to be done in collaboration with Alpine and AlphaTauri, who are aiming at the acquisition of Pierre Gasly.

IndyCar driver Colton Herta has been fielded by Red Bull as a possible driver for Scuderia AlphaTauri 2023 as part of an agreement to move Pierre Gasly to the Alpine F1 team.

Colton Herta’s ability to move to F1 is conditional on obtaining an F1 super license, with Red Bull currently granting only 32 of the 40 points required by the FIA ​​for a special exemption for Herta.

Despite pressure from Red Bull, the FIA ​​has suggested it will refuse to grant Colton Herta an F1 super license.

The main concern is that the possibility of special exemptions for obtaining a license may dissuade drivers from focusing on the F3 and F2 categories of single-seaters provided by the FIA.

Things are not going well for Colton Herta, but Red Bull continues to prepare. Sources say that now that the IndyCar season is over, plans are being made for Colton Herta to conduct private tests for the Alpine F1 team on an older car.

The race was part of an original driver development program originally set up for Oscar Piastri, who has since declined following his decision to move to McLaren in 2023.

Oscar Piastri has been driving the A521 since last year in the program of the Academy of the Alps.

No final test plan has been finalized, but the F1 Alpine team hopes to have Colton Herta available for free practice at the Hungaroring ahead of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix. Nick de Vries could also take part in the test as an evaluation of the 2023 race place.

However, it is understood that while the Alpine F1 Team will lead Colton Herta, Herta is not on the shortlist to replace Fernando Alonso next year.

Instead, the tests are believed to be an evaluation process proposed by the Alpine F1 team at AlphaTauri to better assess Colton Herta’s speed and technical feedback.

It may seem very strange that F1 teams help each other in this way, but it’s fair to say that the Alpine F1 team wants to sign Pierre Gasly.

The Alpine F1 team declined to confirm who will take part in the Hungaroring tests. “We don’t comment on private testing,” a spokesperson said.

As with the Alpine F1 Team tests, Colton Herta is still in contention for a McLaren FP1 session this year, but that hasn’t been confirmed either.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown said of the possibility of testing Colton Herta: “We don’t rule out Colton, but it’s in McLaren’s best interest not to help AlphaTauri. It will be.”

Should Oscar Piastri be released from his Alpine F contract, McLaren could choose to give Piastri an early run in FP1.

“The Oscars still have a 22-year contract, so we don’t have full clarity yet,” Brown said.

“We’re still developing the car, so you don’t want a rookie when you’re still putting something in the car.”

“We are in the second half of the year and there are six races left. But we are not sure if it is a rider or two. We will know in a few weeks.”