Oscar Piastri replaces Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren after rejecting F1 seat at Alpine

McLaren have announced the signing of Alpine reserve driver Oscar Piastri as their driver in Formula 1 for 2023 - after Alpine declared that the Australian would race for them.

A dramatic month or so has seen Fernando Alonso stun the paddock by signing a “multi-year contract” with Aston Martin from next year, leaving Alpine with a seat to fill to partner Esteban Ocon.

Last year’s F2 champion Piastri was announced as the team’s F1 driver next year in a press release last month which raised suspicions after it didn’t include any quotes from the 21-year-old himself and, hours later, Piastri insisted this press release had been published “without his permission” and he has “not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023”, adding he will “not be driving for Alpine next year.”

Now Piastri - who is managed by nine-time Grand Prix winner and compatriot Mark Webber - has been announced as a driver for McLaren for 2023 in an announcement made by the Woking-based team, partnering Lando Norris having signed a “multi-year contract”.

“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,” Piastri said.

“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.”

Piastri said in his stunning rebuttal to Alpine on Twitter: “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.

“This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”

The Australian joined the Alpine Academy as a teenager and became just the third man after Charles Leclerc and George Russell to win back-to-back drivers’ championships in Formula 2 and Formula 3.

Piastri has enjoyed a string of triumphs in his early stages of his career, winning the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup and the 2020 Formula 3 Championship as well as last year’s F2 triumph in his rookie season.

He became the sixth driver to win GP2/F2 in his debut year and has in 2022 been testing the 2021 Alpine F1 car, the A521, in locations such as Silverstone and Qatar while waiting in the wings for a spot on the grid to open up.