New McLaren driver Oscar Piastri says the drama caused by his shock departure from Alpine last year has not increased the pressure on him to perform.
The 2021 Formula 2 champion was the object of a tug-of-love between the two teams over his services last year. Alpine originally announced their reserve driver would replace the outgoing Fernando Alonso, but Piastri caused a sensation by denying that would happen in a social media post.
He was eventually confirmed as McLaren’s new driver for 2023 after the Contract Recognition Board upheld the deal he had signed with the team. The outcome infuriated Alpine, who repeatedly criticised the driver for leaving them.
As he remained under contract with Alpine for the rest of 2022, Piastri hasn’t been able to speak at length about the episode until talking. He said he felt vindicated by the CRB’s decision.
“I’m going into the season pretty comfortable,” he told media including RaceFans at McLaren’s launch event today. “I think once all the facts came out and the full story came out it became much more clear to most people.
“So that’s not weighing on my mind. I’m fully focussed on being in McLaren and I think time is a good healer for most things. I’m focussed with where I am now, I’ve got a lot on my plate trying to prepare with McLaren and that preparation’s been going really well.”
Piastri said he was able to focus fully on his move to McLaren after the CRB ruled in their favour and Alpine agreed to let him drive for the team in the post-season test at Yas Marina.
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“Once we went through the hearing and the results of that came out in our favour, it was just sorting out how the exit from Alpine would look,” he said. “Once that happened, after the decision for the post-season test, it was fully focused with McLaren.
“So it was nice to get that post-season test in and now be able to embed myself in properly with the team and looking forward to starting my debut year with the team.”
Despite the extra attention he has experienced as a result of the interest in the case, Piastri said “I don’t think it adds any pressure from that aspect.”
Expectations of him were already high following his back-to-back championship wins in Formula Renault Eurocup, Formula 3 and Formula 2 between 2019 and 2021. “Coming into Formula 1 with the previous…
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