'Alpine refuses McLaren's request to release Piastri earlier'

Oscar Piastri is unlikely to get a chance to test from Alpine in 2022. McLaren would have liked to give the Australian some test miles, but the French racing stable seems unwilling to comply.

Piastri will leave Alpine at the end of 2022 after a long soap opera this summer. Piastri signed a contract with McLaren, but Alpine thought it also had him under contract. However, Alpine was ruled against by the courts and so it is losing its talented pupil. A dignified farewell seems out of the question as a result.

As the team's reserve driver, Alpine would have liked to use Piastri during some free practice sessions this year to give him experience, but that has not happened yet. The chances that Alpine will help the driver who is leaving for a rival also seem extremely slim. In addition, with Jack Doohan, Alpine has another junior who is also eligible for a rookie test.

McLaren had hoped to release Piastri from Alpine earlier in order to let him drive rookie tests for his new team, but Andreas Seidl at Autosport.com News that Alpine has not yet complied. McLaren has therefore decided to let Patricio O'Ward and Alex Palou, two of McLaren's IndyCar drivers, compete during two free practice sessions.