McLaren hires Oscar Piastri, F2 champion, to Formula 1 team for 2023 season following contract dispute

McLaren announced on Friday that they have signed Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri to a multi-year deal to move up to Formula 1 beginning in 2023. Piastri will become the teammate to Lando Norris on the McLaren F1 Team, replacing Daniel Ricciardo.

McLaren’s announcement came immediately after the FiA’s contract recognition board settled a dispute between McLaren and Alpine, both of whom felt that they had a valid contract for Piastri to drive for them next season. During F1’s summer break, Alpine had announced that Piastri, their reserve driver, would move up to driving for their F1 team full-time next season.

But shortly afterwards, Piastri released a tweet stating that the press release was false, he had actually not signed a contract to drive for Alpine and he would not drive for the team in 2023.

The CRB ruled to uphold McLaren’s contract, which was signed the day after the British Grand Prix in July. Piastri’s move to McLaren was announced shortly afterwards.

“I’m extremely excited to be making my F1 debut with such a prestigious team as McLaren and I’m very grateful for the opportunity that’s been offered to me,” read a statement by Piastri. “The team has a long tradition of giving young talent a chance, and I’m looking forward to working hard alongside Lando to push the team towards the front of the grid. I’m focused on preparing for my F1 debut in 2023 and starting my F1 career in papaya.”

The 21-year-old Australian driver has quickly risen through Formula One’s ladder system over the past three years. After winning the Formula Renault Eurocup in 2019, Piastri drove in Formula 3 in 2020 and Formula 2 in 2021, winning the championship in both series.

McLaren’s successful hire of Piastri is a humiliating development for Alpine, which is now left without a driver to replace Fernando Alonso, who is leaving the team to replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin. According to ESPN, Pierre Gasly and Daniel Ricciardo are among the candidates to now fill the seat that the team had initially sought Piastri for.