Oscar Piastri has sensationally denied that he will be replacing Fernando Alonso at Alpine next season, despite the team’s announcement confirming the agreement.
On Monday came the shock news that two-time world champion Alonso, the most experienced man on the Formula One grid, would be leaving Renault’s works team at the end of the 2022 season and joining Aston Martin as a replacement for the retiring Sebastian Vettel on a multi-year contract.
Such an announcement left Alpine - currently fourth in the constructors standings, behind Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes - with an unexpected hole alongside Esteban Ocon, and it’s one they appeared to waste little time in filling.
The French outfit said they had chosen to promote highly-rated reserve driver and reigning Formula 2 champion Piastri for 2023, with the 21-year-old from Melbourne seemingly set to join McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo as the second Australian in the paddock.
“After four years as part of the Renault and Alpine family, Reserve Driver Oscar Piastri is promoted to a race seat alongside Esteban Ocon starting from 2023,” the team said.
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer added: “Oscar is a bright and rare talent. We are proud to have nurtured and supported him through the difficult pathways of the junior formulas.”
However, Piastri has now refuted those claims in an explosive post on social media.
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. 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 (@OscarPiastri) August 2, 2022
“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 tweeted just hours after the Alpine announcement. “This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”
In other F1 news, Logan Sargeant is set to become the first American to feature at a grand prix weekend for seven years later in 2022.
The Williams academy driver will deputise for Nicholas Latifi in the first practice session at the United States Grand Prix in Austin in October.
“I’m super excited to be given this opportunity to drive my first free practice in Austin,” Sargeant said. “To be given the chance at the US Grand Prix is something extremely special to me.
“A massive thank you to Williams for putting the trust and belief in me to do a good job. The goal for me will be to learn as much as possible in the new generation of cars. I’m looking forward to making the most of this experience and really enjoying it.”
