Renault CEO Luca de Meo has admitted Alpine mishandled Fernando Alonso’s exit from Formula 1 in 2022 – a misstep sparked the saga that sent Oscar Piastri to McLaren.
Alonso, who had returned to the Enstone-based squad in 2021 following a two-year sabbatical, was no stranger to the Anglo-French marque.
The Spaniard famously won both his World Championships to date with Renault in 2005 and 2006, and returned for a second stint in 2008, winning two races that season.
His latest comeback saw him deliver the team’s first podium since 2013 at the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix, proving he still had the pace and racecraft to compete in modern F1.
Despite that, contract negotiations between Alonso and Alpine quickly became strained heading into 2022.
The team, wary of offering a multi-year deal due to Alonso’s age, were also eager to promote junior driver Oscar Piastri. That indecision proved damaging.
When Sebastian Vettel’s retirement opened up a seat at Aston Martin, Alonso seized the opportunity and announced his switch just days later, catching Alpine off guard.
“He’s an amazing guy and he slipped away from the Alpine team,” de Meo told Car and Driver.
“It was our mistake. Maybe we didn’t treat him the way we should have, but we still have a very good relationship.”
How Alpine lost Alonso and Piastri
Alpine responded by naming Piastri as Alonso’s replacement, without securing his signature. The announcement was swiftly followed by a now-infamous denial from the Australian, who insisted he would not be racing for the team. It later emerged he had already signed with McLaren.
The matter was taken to the FIA’s Contract Recognition Board, which ruled entirely in McLaren’s favour. Piastri’s contract had been finalised on July 4, 2022 – a month before Alpine’s public announcement. The CRB confirmed Alpine had no legal claim to the driver and was left to foot the bill for the legal proceedings.
Behind the scenes, Alpine’s situation appeared even worse. Reports at the time suggested Piastri did not have a formal reserve driver contract in place at the start of 2022, and that the team’s legal department was operating with minimal support, leading to delays, miscommunication and ultimately a breakdown in trust.
Alpine’s gamble to keep both drivers in play ended in total collapse. Alonso, frustrated by what he described as “a lack of professionalism,” walked away.
Piastri, seeing no long-term vision from the team, followed. Both have since flourished: Alonso, now entering the twilight of his career, remains winless in 2025 but is working alongside Adrian Newey on Aston Martin’s 2026 challenger; Piastri has become a fixture near the front of the grid and currently sits top in the Drivers’ standings.
“I respect him a lot,” de Meo added. “He’s a great champion, he’s a guy who has the grit. There are very few who have the determination of Fernando.
He’s a great driver, especially when you have a car that is… [shakes head]. I hope he succeeds in the Aston Martin team, because he deserves it.”
As Alpine languishes near the bottom of the Constructors’ standings, the consequences of that chaotic 2022 summer still echo through the paddock.
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