Formula 1, novel: Piastri denies being an Alpine driver and memes explode

The Formula 1 Alpine team announced on Tuesday that Oscar Piastri He will replace Fernando Alonso in 2023 as a driver alongside Esteban Ocon, something that the Australian denied shortly after.

“In accordance with the team’s commitments to the Australian, Oscar will be promoted to race driver and take over the driver’s seat from Fernando Alonso from next year,” Alpine said in a statement on Tuesday.

But less than two hours later, Piastri denied this information on his social networks. “I understand that Alpine F1, without my agreement, released a press release in the afternoon saying that I would drive for them next year. It is false and I have not signed any contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be an Alpine driver next year.”declared the 21-year-old pilot on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Asked by AFP, the team’s press service refused to comment on this driver’s statement.

Piastri had been named Alpine’s reserve driver at the start of 2022, while Alonso announced his move to Aston Martin for next season on Monday. Thanks to an agreement between Alpine and McLaren from the beginning of 2022, the Australian is also a reserve driver in the British team, which would court the young driver for a steering wheel next year in Formula 1.

Product of the Alpine Academy

Piastri trained with the French team, joining Alpine’s academy in 2019 after his Formula Renault Eurocup title.

The Australian won the Formula 3 championship the following season, and the Formula 2 championship in 2021, before becoming a reserve driver for the French team. This promotion seemed to mark in Alpine a desire for generational change, since the Australian will take the wheel of Alonso, who at 41 is almost twice his age.

The leader of Alpine, currently fourth in the constructors’ championship, Otmar Szafnauer, assured that Piastri is “more than ready to move on to Formula 1”.

“Oscar is a brilliant and rare talent. We are proud to have groomed and supported him throughout his journey,” he said.

Along with Esteban Ocon, present within the French team since 2020, when it was still called Renault, Piastri was announced to complete the Alpine duo. “Together, we believe this duo will provide us with the continuity we need to achieve our long-term goal of fighting for wins and titles,” Szafnauer said.

Returning to Formula 1 last year, Alonso had finished 10th last season, ahead of Esteban Ocon. This season, ‘Nando’ also occupies the provisional tenth place in the World Cup.

the memes

AFP

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