Top talent Oscar Piastri will drive for the McLaren Formula 1 team in the future. There had previously been a contract posse about the Australian: Alpine had also reported the driver as a regular driver for 2023.
The 21-year-old will succeed his compatriot Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren and will receive a contract lasting several years. “I am very excited to be making my Formula 1 debut for a team as prestigious as McLaren and very grateful for the opportunity that has been offered to me”explained Piastri, consecutive champion in Formula 3 and Formula 2, after his contract farce.
The young racer was announced in a summer posse by Alpine as a regular driver for next year. However, the Australian immediately contradicted this statement because he preferred to switch to McLaren. There, the Alpine reserve driver will be teammates with Lando Norris (22), who has a contract until the end of 2025.
Unanimous decision of the arbitration board
“We consider the matter closed and will announce our driver line-up for 2023 in due course.”, Alpine announced at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. Haas driver Mick Schumacher will also be associated with the French racing team for the coming season.
At a meeting of the arbitration board on August 29, representatives of McLaren, Alpine and Piastri were heard. The four-member chamber then made a unanimous decision, according to which only Piastri’s contract with McLaren should be recognised. He is free to drive for the English in 2023 and 2024.