Oscar Piastri denies he will replace Fernando Alonso at Alpine next season

Oscar Piastri has insisted he will not be driving for Formula 1 team Alpine next season hours after his appointment as Fernando Alonso’s replacement had been announced.

Alpine issued a press release on Tuesday afternoon in which it said the 21-year-old Australian had been promoted from reserve driver to partner Esteban Ocon during the 2023 season, prompting a swift response.

Piastri said in a post on his official Twitter account: “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.

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

“This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”

In the Alpine announcement, team principal Otmar Szafnauer had praised Piastri as a “rare talent” who is “more than capable” of making the move into Formula 1.

Szafnauer said: “Oscar is a bright and rare talent. We are proud to have nurtured and supported him through the difficult pathways of the junior formulae.

“Through our collaboration over the past four years, we have seen him develop and mature into a driver who is more than capable of taking the step up to Formula 1.

2023 driver line-up confirmed: Esteban Ocon