Oscar Piastri: How Alpine have likely lost their own young star to McLaren for the 2023 season

In one of the most bizarre twists in Formula One history, Alpine announced Oscar Piastri would drive for them in 2023 only for the Australian to say he will not be racing for them just a few hours later. It’s a saga that shocked the sporting world with social media doing its usual job of memes and general stunned reactions to the news – even Ad Formula 1'My worst fears came alive' — Hamilton reflects on 'disbelief' at 2021 finale08/08/2022 AT 14:56 . Piastri is last year’s Formula Two champion and only missed out on a seat on this year’s F1 grid because there was no room for him.

This is a driver who won the Formula Renault Eurocup, Formula Three and Formula Two championships in his rookie seasons to storm his way through the ranks towards F1. He’s highly rated by many and is by far the most exciting young prospect since George Russell and Lando Norris joined F1 in 2019. Alpine signed Piastri to their junior programme in 2020 and have given him tests in an F1 car.

He is the team’s reserve driver for this season. When Fernando Alonso suddenly announced he will join Aston Martin next year, it was widely expected that Piastri would replace him, which is exactly what Alpine confirmed in their press release on August 2. You may be asking why Piastri hasn’t taken the seat, given how Alpine have been so loyal to him and are the fourth best team in F1 at the moment, only behind Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes.

It doesn’t make any sense, on paper. Why Piastri is set to defect Alpine You have to put yourself in Piastri’s shoes for a moment. Alpine wanted to keep their current driver line-up of Esteban Ocon and Alonso for 2023.