Oscar Piastri reflects on the controversial contract dispute of 2022, the year he turned down a Formula 1 promotion with Alpine and instead signed with McLaren for his grand prix debut.
The Australian joined the then Renault Sport Academy in 2020 after narrowly clinching the title in the Formula Renault Eurocup. Piastri then made waves by winning both the Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships in his rookie year. However, in 2022, he was forced to sit on the sidelines as Alpine kept him as a reserve driver.
“It was definitely a tough time,” Oscar Piastri shared in the recently released F1 video Off The Grid. “As a driver, you just want to race. Not racing that year was hard, absolutely. At the same time, it gave me the chance to look at some things from a distance: being part of a race weekend, understanding what media obligations look like, what sponsorship commitments are, and what the overall rhythm of a season is. I learned something from that, but it was still a challenging time.”
Alpine found itself in a tricky situation with three strong drivers vying for two seats, with Piastri seen as a serious contender alongside Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon. A loan to Williams was considered until it became clear that Alonso would be moving to Aston Martin. Alpine then announced Piastri’s promotion, a declaration that the driver publicly denied.
‘A Major Story Unfolds’
“I understand that Alpine F1, without my consent, sent out a press release this afternoon stating that I will be driving for them next year,” wrote Piastri at the time. “That is incorrect, and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”
Behind the scenes, Oscar Piastri had already struck a deal with McLaren. The matter landed in the hands of the FIA’s Contract Recognition Board (CRB), which ultimately ruled in favor of the Woking team.
“I actually knew it would become quite a big story,” Oscar Piastri reflects. “There were reasons to do it; it wasn’t like I just decided to announce to the world that I wouldn’t be racing. I can look back on it with a smile now, but at that moment, it was certainly not funny. Of course, it went to the CRB. The outcome was in my favor, but it was definitely a pretty tense moment.”
