The Australian Oscar Piastri, who according to Alpine should replace Fernando Alonso in 2023 as a driver within the French F1 team, denied this information on Tuesday, indicating that he “will not be an Alpine driver next year.”
“I understand that Alpine F1, without my agreement, put out a press release in the afternoon saying that I would be driving for them next year. It is false and I have not signed any contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be an Alpine driver next year, ”said Piastri, 21, on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Piastri had been named Alpine’s reserve driver at the start of 2022. Alonso announced on Monday his move to Aston Martin for next season.
Thanks to an agreement between Alpine and McLaren from the beginning of 2022, the Australian is also a reserve driver in the British team, which would court the young driver for a steering wheel next year in Formula 1.
– Product of the Alpine Academy –
Piastri trained with the French team, joining Alpine’s academy in 2019 after his Formula Renault Eurocup title.
The Australian won the Formula 3 championship the following season, and the Formula 2 championship in 2021, before becoming a reserve driver for the French team.
This promotion seemed to mark in Alpine a desire for generational change, since the Australian will take the wheel of Alonso, who at 41 is almost twice his age.
The leader of Alpine, currently fourth in the Constructors’ World Championship, Otmar Szafnauer, assured that Piastri is “more than ready to go to Formula 1”. “Oscar is a brilliant and rare talent. We are proud to have groomed and supported him throughout his journey,” he stated.
