Reluctant promotion, Formula 1 has a personal posse in the “Silly Season”: The French racing team Alpine has apparently appointed the young Australian to succeed Fernando Alonso without the consent of racing driver Oscar Piastri.
Piastri, previously Alpine’s reserve driver, will flank Frenchman Esteban Ocon (25) “from 2023,” the team said in a press release.
One of Piastri’s voices was missing in this, which obviously had a reason: on Tuesday evening, the 21-year-old, whose management had probably also negotiated with other teams, spoke up via Twitter.
“I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023”
“Alpine F1 issued a press release without my consent late in the afternoon saying I will be driving for them next year. That’s wrong, I haven’t signed a contract with Alpine for 2023,” said Piastri, who made his point clear: “I will next not drive for Alpine for a year.”
Piastri is considered to be a very talented driver, and other racing teams have also had their eye on the Australian.
In 2020 he triumphed in Formula 3, the following year he secured the title in Formula 2 – a double blow that only Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and George Russell (Mercedes), who are now among the stars in the premier class, had previously succeeded in doing.
“A bright and rare” Formula 1 talent
“Oscar is a radiant and rare talent,” Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer was quoted as saying in the press release: “We are proud to have encouraged and supported him on the difficult paths of the junior series. Through our cooperation over the past four years, we have seen him develop and mature into a driver more than capable of taking the step into Formula 1.”
They firmly believe that the Ocon/Piastri duo “will give us the continuity we need to achieve our long-term goal: fighting for victories and championships,” Szafnauer continued.
The move from two-time world champion Alonso to Aston Martin was only announced on Monday. The 41-year-old Spaniard will inherit four-time champion Sebastian Vettel (35/Heppenheim) from the British team next year, who will retire at the end of the season.