Christian Horner regrets not adding Oscar Piastri to Red Bull’s driving academy when given the opportunity a few years ago.
Piastri, who will race for McLaren in 2023 after a lengthy contract saga with Alpine this summer, has weathered the French company’s driving academy in recent seasons before winning the Formula 1 championship. 2 years ago.
Horner said Red Bull would never let the highly regarded Piastri slip through his fingers like Alpine did.
Horner told the Beyond the Grid Podcast: “He’s driven for the Arden team in Formula 4 and Formula Renault, and is clearly a remarkable talent,” Horner told the Beyond the Grid Podcast, referring to the team he joined. founded with his brother in 1997.
“There was an opportunity for Red Bull to look at him at the time, and we didn’t make that choice, which is something that I regret. But what he has achieved is phenomenal, at Cong. Formula 3 and Formula 2.
“Now if he’s ever been a driver here, there’s no way he hasn’t been locked and keyed for a while. Like I said, I’m not partisan, it’s hard to judge what that means. promised or renewed on or so [at Alpine].
“But certainly, it was unexpected, maybe from some areas.”
Piastri will replace fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren next season.
Ricciardo has yet to confirm his next move, while Alpine has yet to fill the chair that Piastri doesn’t want to take. Alpine is said to be in talks with Red Bull to sign Pierre Gasly from AlphaTauri, although that move depends on the latter being able to sign a replacement for Nyck de Vries.
Initially AlphaTauri sized IndyCar’s Colton Herta but the American driver wasn’t spared the super he needed to race in F1.
