Oscar Piastri has thrown the Alpine F1 team into further chaos by rejecting their offer of taking over from the departing Fernando Alonso.
Alpine had decided to promote the Australian from their reserve driver to a permanent role next season with Alonso set to join Aston Martin.
But the Formula 2 champion has come out and put the news to bed arguing that he does not have a contract with the team for the 2023 season.
“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,” he said.
“This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”
It is rumored that Oscar Piastri has already signed a pre-contract with McLaren which will allow him to leave Alpine at the end of this year. McLaren does not have a vacancy at the moment but Daniel Riccardo is expected to be forced out of the team if his performance does not improve.
Ricciardo, who joined McLaren from the Renault team that is now Alpine, has no intention of leaving and has an option on his side.
Alpine principal Otmar Szafnauer did refute the circulating reports during a Zoom call with reporters.
“We do have a legal contract with him (Piastri) into the future for ’23. And if an option is taken up, for ’24,” he said.
“I don’t know what he’s done with McLaren… I’m not privy to that.”
F1 has a contracts recognition board to resolve disputes between teams over drivers and the matter is expected to end up there.
It has been a chaotic few days for Alpine first with Szafnauer’s admission that he found out about Alonso’s move from a press release and now with Piastri rejecting a chance to drive on the F1 grid despite it being every driver’s dream.
