Oscar Piastri says he will not join Alpine next season after F1 team said he would

Alpine Formula One team’s reserve driver Oscar Piastri said that he has not signed a contract and will not be racing for them in 2023, shortly after the team announced he had been promoted to a race seat.

"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 tweeted.

“This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”

Oscar Piastri had been named as Fernando Alonso’s replacement for Alpine.

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Team principal Otmar Szafnauer had said: “Oscar is a bright and rare talent. We are proud to have nurtured and supported him through the difficult pathways of the junior formulae.

“Through our collaboration over the past four years, we have seen him develop and mature into a driver who is more than capable of taking the step up to Formula One.

“As our reserve driver he has been exposed to the team at the track, factory and testing where he has shown the maturity, promise and speed to ensure his promotion to our second seat alongside Esteban.

“Together, we believe the duo will give us the continuity we need to achieve our long-term goal of challenging for wins and championships.”

The announced move came after Alonso opted to leave Alpine to join Aston Martin as Sebastian Vettel’s replacement.

Piastri joined the Alpine academy as a teenager and became just the third man after Charles Leclerc and George Russell to win back-to-back drivers’ championships in Formula 2 and Formula 3.

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022