Australia officially has a new Formula 1 driver, with Oscar Piastri permitted to drive for McLaren from 2023 by the FIA’s contract recognitions board.
Both McLaren and Alpine, Piastri’s current team, believed they held valid contracts for his services next season, leading to one of the most extraordinary F1 driver disputes in years, but the board agreed that only McLaren’s deal was valid.
McLaren immediately issued a statement announcing Piastri as compatriot Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement, having sacked the older Aussie last week in a multimillion-dollar payout.
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“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 in a team statement.
“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.”
Alpine issued a brief statement via social media acknowledging the result.
“We acknowledge the decision [the CRB] have made,” Alpine said. “We consider the matter closed on our side and will announce our full 2023 driver line-up in due course.”
Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer last week described Piastri as lacking integrity in making his switch away from the team that brought him through the junior categories and invested millions of dollars in his development this year.
The French team is expected to hire Pierre Gasly from AlphaTauri to partner Esteban Ocon in 2023.
Ricciardo’s future remains unclear, but the Australian has talked openly about taking a sabbatical if he’ sunconvinced by the options available to him to continue in Formula 1.
Piastri becomes the 18th Australian driver to compete in Formula 1, following in the footsteps of Riccardo, Mark Webber, Jack, Gary and David Brabham, Brian McGuire, Warwick Brown, Alan Jones, Larry Perkins, Vern Schuppan, David Walker, Tim Schenken, Paul Hawkins, Frank Gardner, Ken Kavanagh, Paul England and Tony Gaze.
Piastri won the Formula 2 championship last year, completing a rare junior title triple, winning the Formula Renault Eurocup, Formula 3 and Formula 2 crowns in successive years.
“Oscar is one of the up-and-coming talents coming through the feeder series into F1 and we are delighted to see him join the team for 2023,” McLaren CEO Zak Brown said.
“Winning both F3 and F2 in successive rookie seasons is a real achievement and testament to his talent in single-seater racing.
“In Lando and Oscar we have a young, exciting F1 line-up with a huge amount of potential, standing us in good stead to achieve our future ambitions.
“Oscar is an exciting addition to the McLaren family, and we look forward to seeing him grow with our F1 team.”
Andreas Seidl said he hoped Piastri would help the team move forwards on the grid but suggested that he wouldn’t be able to formally join the team until the end of the year.
“The entire team is delighted to welcome Oscar to McLaren for the 2023 F1 season,” he said. “We still have an important job to do this season, which the team remains focused on, before we will then ensure Oscar is integrated into the team as quickly as possible and ready for the challenges ahead.
“We look forward to preparing for an exciting 2023 season together.”
