Oscar Piastri told fans he "will not be driving for Alpine next year" just 90 minutes after the team announced him as their replacement for Fernando Alonso.
Alpine put out a statement on social media confirming their plans to promote the F2 champion to a race seat. But it was noticeable that there was no statement from the driver himself in the press release, which made it unusual.
It sparked suggestions that Piastri was not informed of the announcement, and the exciting young driver has claimed this to be true. The Australian broke his silence on social media to deny that he will be racing with the Enstone-based team in 2023.
"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 wrote. "This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year."
That statement thrusts Alpine's plans into chaos. The team had expected the promotion of their reserve driver to be a formality after making it clear that he was their number one choice to replace Alonso.
But even though he has a contract with the team as a reserve, Piastri's statement makes it clear that he does not believe he is obliged to take up a race seat. Instead, reports have suggested his mentor and manager Mark Webber has been negotiating with McLaren.
If the papaya team does plan on taking the young Australian on in 2023 to replace the struggling Daniel Ricciardo, it could lead to a legal battle between the two teams. McLaren are already in a similar situation in IndyCar, after they announced the signing of champion Alex Palou – only for Chip Ganassi Racing to claim they were extending his contract.
Meanwhile, Alpine's original announcement was full of language which made it clear the French team was staking its claim in a driver who has been part of their development programme for the past four years. "As part of his formative F1 journey, Oscar was first promoted to BWT Alpine F1 Team Reserve Driver at the start of the 2022 season," Alpine's quote read.
"He has since been undergoing, under the team's guidance and its full financial support, an intensive and comprehensive training programme of private tests in the race-winning A521, the 2021 Alpine F1 car, race support and simulator sessions to prepare him for the next big step into F1. Alpine now looks forward to seeing the next stage in his F1 career alongside Esteban Ocon."
Neither McLaren nor Webber have commented publicly on the situation at the time of writing.
