Oscar Piastri says a complete lack of clarity regarding his future with Alpine and ultimately a breakdown in trust led to his decision to leave the team and sign up with McLaren.
On Friday, it was confirmed that the FIA's Contract Recognition Board had sided with McLaren in its arbitrage of Piastri's contractual conflict with Alpine.
The 21-year-old Aussie, who signed a deal to join McLaren back in early July, will therefore race with the papaya squad next season alongside Lando Norris.
Speaking to Formula1.com's Lawrence Barretto in his first interview since his confirmation as a McLaren driver for 2023, Piastri admitted that he was happy to put the contentious episode in the rear-view mirror.
"I’m glad that I finally got announced as a McLaren driver for next year and we are now looking forward to the future ahead," Piastri said.
"I’m still reserve with Alpine and I’m happy to carry out those duties still, but it’s a discussion that we need to have between myself and the team.
"We’ll see how that looks and then obviously super excited to be joining the grid with McLaren next season."
Laurent Rossi, Alpine CEO with Oscar Piastri
Earlier this year, Piastri's F1 future with Alpine, at least for 2023, appeared bleak, as all signs pointed to Fernando Alonso extending his contract with the Enstone squad.
However, Alpine committed to finding an F1 seat for its junior charger for next season and avoid a second painful year on the sidelines. Williams was seen as the Aussie's most probable destination, but Piastri was hardly enthusiastic about that solution.
Cue McLaren, that Piastri's management had contacted to gauge the Woking-based outfit's interest. And the team offered a clear indication that the Aussie could fit its bill as a replacement for the underperforming Daniel Ricciardo.
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"The CRB ruling has confirmed I didn’t have a contract for the 2023 season [with Alpine]," explained Piastri. "I was free to choose my destiny – and I felt McLaren was a great opportunity.
"They were very straightforward and very keen and enthusiastic to have me. To be completely honest, there was a lack of clarity around my future at the team at Alpine.
"They publicly stated they wished to continue with Fernando for at least one or two more years. I respect that.
"But after spending the year out, my hopes were firmly set on an Alpine seat and the lack of clarity and, similarly to Fernando, a bit of a strange feeling in negotiations, it didn’t feel like it was the right decision for me [to stay around].
"The lack of clarity around my future, and ultimately a breakdown in trust, I felt the very attractive offer of McLaren and the positive dealings with them thus far were all reasons why I felt McLaren was where I was best off for the future."
In the aftermath of the announcement in early August of Alonso's move to Aston Martin and Piastri's promotion to a race seat with Alpine, which was followed by Piastri's rejection of the team's offer, the French outfit, through the voice of its team principal Otmar Szafnauer, displayed a strong confidence in its contractual situation with its young driver.
Furthermore, Szafnauer recounted how he had personally informed Piastri of his nomination, news delivered in person to the latter during a sim session at Enstone and to which the Aussie reacted with a 'thankful smile'.
Piastri says that he was taken aback by Szafnauer's initiative and the news, given how Alpine's top brass had been told "multiple times" of its young driver's position, meaning that he would not be racing with the team in 2023.
"That was a bizarre and frankly upsetting episode," he said.
"It was done publicly in front of some members of the team who were oblivious to the situation and I didn’t want to cause a scene in front of them.
"Once we were in private, I told Otmar what our position was and what he had been told multiple times before that. It was very surprising to me to make that announcement."
When Alpine went ahead and publicly confirmed Piastri's F1 seat for 2023, in perhaps a clumsy attempt to force the issue, the young gun had no other choice but to deny the "false" information, which he did on Twitter, and to make clear that he would not be driving for Alpine in 2023.
"It was the biggest moment of my career and probably my life up to now," he said.
"To have that falsely announced was something my management and I felt we had to correct and there was also potential legal implications if we didn’t deny the announcement.
"It was not intended to be pointed or in any way anything more than factual. The last line was quite a strong one, but with the CRB ruling, it shows it was purely a fact."
Looking back on his last two years with Alpine, Piastri expressed his gratitude for the French manufacturer and its support.
"I’ve really enjoyed my time with Alpine," he said.
"I joined the Academy off the back of winning the Formula Renault championship in 2019 as part of the prize for winning the championship, and enjoyed two incredibly successful years as part of the Academy with two further championships so I have nothing but respect for all the team at Enstone.
"It was a good testing programme that we came up with with Alpine this year, in place of not having a seat for this year.
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