Alpine junior to make F1 debut for rival team

Alpine F1 junior Paul Aron is to make his grand prix weekend debut at Silverstone, driving for Stake.  The Estonian, who last competed for Hitech in FIA F2 in 2024, is to deputise for Nico Hulkenberg on Friday at Silverstone and take part in an F1 weekend for the first time.  Aron remains an official Alpine F1 junior, but RacingNews365 understands that Aron has been the Stake reserve driver for several races, and will get to sample the car for the first time this weekend.  Stake has already completed two of its four mandatory rookie FP1 sessions this season, with Gabriel Bortoleto fulfilling these in Australia and China, as he had never started a race.  The deal, which will see Aron return to Alpine after completing his running, will also see him take over Hulkenberg's seat for FP1 at the Hungaroring, the final race before the summer break.  Stake scored its first double points finish since the 2023 Qatar GP with Bortoleto eighth and Hulkenberg ninth in the Austrian GP, marking Bortoleto's first F1 points finish.