“It wasn’t funny” – Piastri reflects on Alpine F1 contract saga

Oscar Piastri has reflected on the contractual saga that occurred in mid-2022, when he signed a McLaren Formula 1 deal as an Alpine junior.

Piastri joined the Renault Sport Academy, as it was then called, for the 2020 season after narrowly clinching the Formula Renault Eurocup title.

The Australian went on to win the F3 and F2 championships as a rookie, but had to spend 2022 on the sidelines as Alpine’s reserve driver.

“It was certainly a tough time,” Piastri said in F1’s newly released Off The Grid video, filmed in Monaco – where he resides – in November. “Naturally, as a racing driver, you want to go racing.

“That year, not racing was tough, definitely. It did allow me to view some things from the outside a little bit easier: being part of a weekend, understanding what media commitments are going to be like, what the sponsor commitments are going to be like, just the general rhythm of the season. I learned a few things about that, but it was a tough time.

“I always kind of took pride in the fact that I was doing everything that I could, and I was always confident that something would come up.”

Something – several things – did. The Enstone-based team was facing a conundrum with three quality drivers for two seats, as Piastri was an obvious contender alongside incumbents Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.

Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon, Oscar Piastri, Alpine

Photo by: Alpine

Alpine considered loaning Piastri out to Williams until it emerged that Alonso would be moving to Aston Martin. The outfit then announced its protege’s promotion to a race seat, which the youngster stiffly denied.

“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.”

It turned out that Piastri had already signed a contract with McLaren, and the FIA’s Contract Recognition Board ruled in the papaya team's favour.

“I kind of knew that it was going to be a pretty big story,” he smiled. “There were reasons for doing that, it wasn't just me going out of my ways to announce to the world that I'm not racing.

“I mean, I certainly look back on it now with some laughs. Definitely at the time, it wasn't so funny.

“It obviously went to the CRB. Things were in my favour, but that was another pretty tense moment.”

This meant Piastri made his F1 debut with McLaren, not Alpine, in 2023. “That was an incredible moment. Then also kind of hits you that everything you've done previously almost doesn't matter now,” he pointed out.

Although he missed out on the 2025 drivers’ title, Piastri can already boast a remarkable record of six pole positions and 26 podiums, including nine victories, in 70 grands prix – and he’s “still learning”.