Red Bull boss Christian Horner has revealed how the F1 giant missed the chance to sign young Australian driver Oscar Piastri — a decision he says he still regrets.
Horner was speaking on F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast about the Formula 3 and Formula 2 champion, who will replace Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren from next season.
His imminent F1 debut has been shrouded in controversy, however, after Alpine also laid claim to his signature, triggering a messy dispute during the mid-season break.
Alpine, formerly Renault, ultimately lost out on retaining its reserve driver after Piastri’s McLaren deal was ratified by the FIA’s Contract Recognition Board.
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Horner said the situation never would have occurred had Piastri been at Red Bull, who he said baulked at signing the 21-year-old to its young driver program before Renault swooped in early 2020.
“He drove for the Arden team in Formula 4 and Formula Renault, and was obviously a significant talent,” Horner said on the podcast.
“There was an opportunity for Red Bull to look at him at the time, and we didn’t take up that option, which is something that I regret.
“But what he went on to achieve is phenomenal, in Formula 3 and Formula 2.”
Horner added: “Now if he’d have been a driver here, there is no way that he wouldn’t have been under lock and key for a period in time.
“I wasn’t party, it’s difficult to judge what was promised or reneged on or so on.
“But certainly, it was unexpected, probably from several areas.”
Horner founded Arden, who Piastri raced for across F4 and Formula Renault in 2017 and 2018.
He went on to join the driver academy at Renault, who placed him in a seat at Prema Racing where he won both the F3 and F2 championships in back-to-back seasons.
By winning the F2 championship, Piastri was unable to complete in the category again, forcing him to spend 2022 as a reserve driver.
Amid Ricciardo’s struggles — and with Fernando Alonso initially showing no signs of leaving Alpine before joining Aston Martin — Piastri’s agent Mark Webber manufactured a move that will see Piastri join McLaren.
Meanwhile, Red Bull has no plans to promote any of its own young drivers to a drive in 2023, although Horner still considers the program to be in good condition.
“We’re continuing to invest in youth, we’ve got some great youngsters in the programme, all the way from karting and stepping into Formula 4 now, upwards,” Horner said.
“I think it’s something Red Bull has done so well, giving these kids a chance, investing in young talent, and giving opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have had.”
