Oscar Piastri reflects on the dramatic contract saga with his former employer Alpine. The Australian sent shockwaves through the F1 world in 2022 with a now-famous tweet announcing he would not be racing for the French team. While Piastri can now laugh about the whole ordeal and has no regrets about moving to McLaren, it was a different story three years ago: “At that moment, it was certainly not funny.”
In 2022, Oscar Piastri turned the Formula 1 world upside down with a tweet that became legendary. “I understand that Alpine F1 has issued a press release this afternoon without my consent stating that I will be driving for them next year,” the Australian wrote at the time. “This is incorrect, and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”
The driver made the leap to McLaren after spending 2022 on the sidelines as a reserve driver for Alpine. “It was definitely a tough time,” Piastri recalls in the F1’s Off The Grid video. “As a driver, you obviously want to race. That year was certainly difficult not racing. It did allow me to view some things from the outside a bit easier: being part of a weekend, understanding what media obligations look like, what sponsor commitments look like, just the general rhythm of the season. I learned a few things from that, but it was a tough time.”
‘At That Moment, It Wasn’t So Funny’
For a long time, uncertainty loomed over whether Oscar Piastri would land a seat at Alpine in 2023. That was until Fernando Alonso announced he would continue his career at Aston Martin. But by then, it was too late for the French team: Piastri had already signed with McLaren. “I knew it would be a pretty big story,” he smiles now. “There were reasons for that decision; it wasn’t just because I wanted to let the world know I wouldn’t be racing. I mean, I definitely look back on it with a smile now. At that moment, it was certainly not so funny.”
However, Alpine wasn’t about to let the Australian go without a fight, and the matter ended up before the FIA Contract Recognition Board (CRB). “The circumstances were in my favor, but it was still a pretty tense moment,” said the Australian. Ultimately, Piastri made his F1 debut with McLaren in 2023, not Alpine. “That was an incredible moment. You realize that everything you did before almost doesn’t matter anymore.”
