Oscar Piastri recently acknowledged the four-year anniversary of his pivotal social media post regarding his Formula 1 contract situation. The McLaren driver took to social media to thank followers for their ‘anniversary messages’. This refers to his August 2022 tweet, which publicly rejected an Alpine F1 seat.
The original post stated, ‘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.’
This declaration initiated a contract dispute that proceeded to the FIA Contract Recognition Board (CRB). The CRB ruled on August 29, 2022, confirming Piastri’s legitimate contract with McLaren for the 2023 season.
The ruling favoured McLaren, where Piastri had signed a contract in July 2022. Alpine had intended for Piastri to replace Fernando Alonso, who announced a move to Aston Martin for 2023.
Since joining McLaren, Piastri has secured nine Grand Prix victories. His maiden win occurred at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix.
During the 2025 season, Piastri was a strong contender for the Drivers’ Championship, leading for a significant period. However, he ultimately finished second, with teammate Lando Norris claiming the title.
More recently, Piastri competed in the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix on July 27. He was forced to retire from the race due to a gearbox failure in the later stages.
Prior to his retirement, Piastri was running in a points-scoring position. He had made contact with Carlos Sainz earlier in the race while attempting to lap the Ferrari driver.
The McLaren MCL40, which received a significant upgrade package before the Hungarian Grand Prix, demonstrated promising pace throughout the weekend.
Lando Norris secured a third-place finish for McLaren at the Hungaroring, adding another podium to the team’s 2026 season tally.
Piastri’s current contract with McLaren extends until the end of the 2026 season, maintaining the established driver pairing with Norris.
