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‘I will not be driving for Alpine next year’ - Piastri
Oscar Piastri says he will not be driving for Alpine in 2023 despite the team announcing his promotion to a Formula 1 race seat earlier today.
In a remarkably similar scenario to the one involving Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing and McLaren in IndyCar, Alpine announced Piastri as Fernando Alonso’s replacement on Tuesday afternoon European time despite team principal Otmar Szafnauer admitting he believed there were contractual complications involving Piastri being linked to a switch to McLaren.
A quote from Piastri in the team press release was conspicuous by its absence, and after initially failing to respond to the announcement on social media the young Australian has now stated that he is not contracted to the team in 2023.
“I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year,” Piastri said. “This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”
The comment from Piastri all but confirms he has an agreement in place with another team – believed to be McLaren – which would bring Daniel Ricciardo’s position into question.
Unlike the Palou situation, when McLaren announced the Spaniard’s planned arrival, McLaren has yet to comment.
Chris Medland
While studying Sports Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, Chris managed to talk his way into working at the British Grand Prix in 2008 and was retained for three years before joining ESPN F1 as Assistant Editor. After three further years at ESPN, a spell as F1 Editor at Crash Media Group was followed by the major task of launching F1i.com’s English-language website and running it as Editor. Present at every race since the start of 2014, he has continued building his freelance portfolio, working with international titles. As well as writing for RACER, his broadcast work includes television appearances on F1 TV and as a presenter and reporter on North America's live radio coverage on SiriusXM.
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