I can kinda understand the move

I wouldn't wanna be in a French team incapable of controlling their French driver (Ocon)

thats actually a lesson for all drivers

If I were Piastri, I'd go for something else instead too, as Alpine are always gonna blindly favour Ocon no matter what

In a week we’ve had Vettel retiring, Latifi topping a session, Russell getting pole, Verstappen winning after spinning and Alonso going to Aston Martin. F1. Bloody hell.

at the end of the day, if your current team only wants to give you a 1 yr contract, it shows there is no long-term commitment so understandable he takes the 2 yr offer

Alpine/Renault have recently seen two of the highest rated drivers on the grid - both proven race winners - in Alonso and Ricciardo (at that time at least) walk away citing other teams as having more ambition and stronger plans. It's not a good look for them.

 

It also leaves them with Ocon looking set to be their team leader and that's not a good move either

@1554527452231262210

2 hours ago:

 

@1554500248432680960

 

At Alpine....

It certainly looks like someone at Alpine has messed up!

 

Within a week going from a choice of Alonso or Piastri to neither? :|

Howling at this. Ferrari need to give Alpine a big thank you for stealing the ridicule and memes!

Piastri's contract ended on 31st July, so it looks very much like a decision was made around or before then and that once again Renault have slipped back to their default setting of chaos, mismanagement. and ineptitude

 

We're very much in Palou territory here but reading between the lines this suggest Piastri has been talking with McLaren, so forceful is the reply. Mind you by all accounts Zak Brown has nearly half the Indycar grid lined up to replace Ricciardo so it's almost a sweepstake now.

 

If Piastri does go elsewhere the French team will have seen their two most bankable assests walk out in as many days.

wow thats insane, never seen anything like this, a team to announce a driver for the driver to say it's not true :D

wow thats insane, never seen anything like this, a team to announce a driver for the driver to say it's not true :D

This is exactly the same scenario as has been playing out for nearly a month over the services of Alex Palou. There was a similar thing with Jenson Button and Williams/Honda years ago too

Williams are to make an announcement at 3pm

This is exactly the same scenario as has been playing out for nearly a month over the services of Alex Palou. There was a similar thing with Jenson Button and Williams/Honda years ago too

 

Yeah I remember the Button vs Williams saga, that rumbled on for aaaaages!

 

I reckon he'd already signed for Williams. Danny Ric ain't getting kicked from McLaren just yet.

Williams are to make an announcement at 3pm

And here it is:

 

@1554829451095027714

 

 

Albon's response:

 

@1554829547006111749

 

 

Really? Find him terrible but guess he brings the $$$

Na he's decent. Obviously thrust into Red Bull too soon but he did a much better job than Gasly ever did there. Also, I know he's a bad benchmark but absolutely destroyed Latifi this season despite being out for a year. Solid midfield driver.

Albon's ok. Not WDC material but he's solid.

 

As for Piastri there's growing popularity to the suggestion the he could be working his way toward Alpha Tauri for next year. Gasly is confirmed but Tsunoda isn't and it's worth remembering that Piastri's manager is Mark Webber, who still has very close ties with Dietrich Mateschitz (he used to negotiate his contracts with him and not Horner or Marko).

A year at AT could mean a view to replacing Perez in the future at RBR and would be a much less messy path than trying to force Ricciardo out and leaves McLaren to get their dream driver in Colton Herta once Daniel's contract is up.

 

The Williams seat is a possibility but no one's going to consider that a top choice. Aston Martin looks to be tied up, and the Ferrari channel of Sauber or Haas looks unlikely too

The Italian papers today are saying Piastri has already signed with McLaren for 2023 to replace Ricciardo

but all might end up in court with Alpine

McLaren are reported to have told Daniel Ricciardo he will be replaced in the team by Oscar Piastri next year.

 

The news comes at the end of a dramatic week in the F1 driver merry-go-round which began with the announcement that Fernando Alonso is to replace Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin.

 

The following day, Alpine issued a press release stating their academy driver Piastri would take Alonso’s seat alongside Esteban Ocon, only for the 21-year-old Australian to knock that down within a couple of hours by tweeting that was “wrong” and he would not be driving for the French team in 2023.