Oscar Piastri, reserve driver for the Alpine F1 Racing team, part of the Renault works team academy since 2020, and also the winner of Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles as a Renault/Alpine junior was destined by the Alpine F1 team to be their future driver, replacing two time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso. Things have now taken a huge fall as Piastri wants to leave Alpine to join McLaren. While Piastri is still in contract with Alpine till the end of this year, the manner of his leaving has seriously upset Alpine.
Piastri’s Move
CEO of Alpine, Laurent Rossi feels vindicated as he points out that majority of the people in the entire F1 paddock feel the same way as Alpine, who have attacked Oscar Piastri’s lack of loyalty and put the blame on him. Rossi also said that this is not only bad for Alpine, but for the sport as well, as it puts a scratch on the sport’s honor.
Laurent Rossi, CEO of Alpine F1
Piastri’s disloyalty towards the same organization that has supported the last few years of his career, and had plans to move him to F1, giving him a seat in Williams F1 team before promoting him to a seat at Alpine in the future, will lead to F1 teams being wary about backing young drivers in the future.
Mercedes boss and co-owner Toto Wolff, who has also been Alpine’s ally in this matter, publicly too, claimed that the organization will be more cautious and careful in treating junior programme contracts in the future.
However, by getting the burn from this Saga, Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi has hinted towards complete scrapping of its drivers academy.
Alpine considering end to F1 academy after Piastri Saga
