Oscar Piastri has released a statement in which he denies he has signed a deal to race in F1 with Alpine in 2023.
On Tuesday afternoon, Alpine announced that it was promoting its current reserve driver to a race seat with the team from next season, with Piastri thus replacing Aston Martin-bound Fernando Alonso.
Oddly, Alpine's press release came without a single quote from Piastri, or even a reaction from the latter on his social media channels.
But the Aussie took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to express his surprise at Alpine's press release, insisting it was put out without his agreement.
"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," Piastri wrote.
"This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year."
The last affirmation suggests that Piastri will be driving in F1 in 2023, but not with Alpine.
Rumors have been circulating that Piastri has signed a preliminary agreement with McLaren, a deal brokered by the Aussie's manager, former F1 driver Mark Webber.
If a deal with McLaren has indeed been signed and sealed, it obviously implies that Daniel Ricciardo's days with the Woking-based outfit are numbered, a supposition that comes just two weeks after the McLaren driver confirmed his presence on the grid in 2023 with the papaya squad, a stance backed up by McLaren at the time.
But it's unclear on what legal basis Piastri and Webber consider they have a free path to McLaren when Alpine claims it has a valid contract for the young Aussie's services.
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
On Tuesday morning, well before Alpine's press release on Piastri, team boss Otmar Szafnauer told the media that the Alpine and Piastri are contracted to each other for 2023, but also potentially for 2024 depending on the exercise of an option held by either party.
"I'm not privy to whatever pre-arrangements he has with McLaren, if any at all," Szafnauer said, before Alpine's press release.
"But I hear the same rumours that you do in the pitlane. But what I do know is that he does have contractual obligations to us. And we do to him. And we've been honouring those obligations all year.
"And those obligations, last through '23, and possibly in '24, if some options are taken up.
"And our obligations to him this year was to be a reserve driver, to also put him in last year's car for a significant amount of time.
©Alpine
"We're well over half that programme of 5000 kilometres, which isn't insignificant, in last year's car, in preparation for a race next year.
"Also FP1s, simulation work, and we've been performing those obligations on both sides. So he's been performing, we've been performing.
"So therefore we do have a legal contract with him into the future for '23. And if an option is taken up, for '24.
" So I don't know what he's done with McLaren. Like I said, I'm not privy to that."
One can only believe that Alpine, an affiliate of the Renault group, had a strong legal basis to unilaterally confirm Piastri.
It will therefore be fascinating to hear Piastri's interpretation - or rather the opinion of his legal counsel - on why he considers that he is not tied to his current employer, who invested millions in his career, for 2023.
Bring in the suits...
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