Oscar Piastri's F1 future expected to be announced today
The fate of Oscar Piastri is expected to be announced later today, according to multiple reports.
Oscar Piastri is set to learn the fate of his F1 career later on Friday. (Alpine Racing)
Piastri has been taken to the FIA Contract Recognition Board by Alpine, who brought the Australian into their Academy after his Formula Renault Eurocup title.
It is reported that a decision will be handed down later on Friday.
Alpine made Piastri their focus as a future Formula 1 driver, while he repaid them with both the 2020 FIA Formula 3 and 2021 FIA Formula 2 titles.
Piastri, promised a F1 seat by 2023 by Alpine, sat out the current season as their Reserve driver, and was formally announced to be racing for the team in a fateful press release in early August.
The Australian, managed by Mark Webber, disputed the release.
“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 replied on Twitter.
“This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023.”
“I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”
Piastri is widely believed to have signed for McLaren when it became apparent Alpine was still negotiating to keep Fernando Alonso at the team in future.
With both teams believing they have a valid contract, the Contract Recognition Board met on Monday to assess each on its merits.
Alpine is publicly set on securing Piastri, threatening legal action should the dispute not be resolved in their favour.
“Going to the high court is over 90% certain that’s what we’ll do,” team principal Otmar Szafnauer told Reuters.
In the meantime, McLaren have released current driver and fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo, but the team has also softened their stance on Piastri.
“We have multiple plans,” team CEO Zak Brown told SpeedCity Broadcasting.
“There is a CRB meeting which has been reported on, I think we’ll be better placed to comment on it post the meeting.”
“We’ve got a variety of options and of course that’s clearly one of them or we wouldn’t be in that meeting!”
“Let’s just see how it plays out and then we will go from there.”
