Piastri: McLaren F1 move agreed before Alonso left Alpine

Oscar Piastri insists his move to McLaren was decided “well in advance” of Fernando Alonso's decision to leave Alpine and free up that seat.

Piastri will join McLaren on a multiyear deal in 2023 after Formula One’s contracts board ruled against Alpine on Friday.

Alpine was in dispute with Piastri — the team’s reserve driver — after he said he didn’t want promotion to the Alpine seat vacated by Alonso on Aug. 1, the day after the Hungarian GP.

Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer said Piastri was in a simulator room when told he would replace Alonso, and that Piastri smiled and was grateful. Because he wanted to retain the 21-year-old Australian, the matter went to F1's Contract Recognition Board. The tribunal ruled that McLaren had an existing contract on July 4.

“My decision was made well in advance (of Alonso’s departure), which made Alpine’s announcement probably even more confusing and upsetting because we had told the team that I wasn’t going to continue,” Piastri told F1's website on Saturday. “The announcement (by Alpine) was false and it also denied me the opportunity to properly say goodbye to everyone at Enstone. I had been with team for a bit over two and a half years now, and for the rest of the team to find out I was leaving in that manner was very upsetting.”

Piastri won the F2 title last year and is seen as a top prospect. The day after Alonso stunned F1 by saying he was joining Aston Martin next year, Alpine put out a press release saying Piastri was promoted to team driver in 2023.

Piastri responded on Twitter to deny that in August: “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