Australian F1 star Daniel Ricciardo is set to be replaced at McLaren by compatriot wonderkid Oscar Piastri, according to a variety of reports.
Ricciardo was told about the decision by McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl after the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Autosport, ESPN and Racer all publishing news of the Aussie switch.
It's understood McLaren wants to ensure the 33-year-old gets to another F1 team before announcing the recruitment of Piastri for next year, who recently denied he was driving for Alpine in 2023.
MORE: Who is Oscar Piastri? The Australian motorsport star on the verge of an F1 seat
The F1 driver merry-go-round is in full swing with Alpine initially announcing Piastri would be in their team next year as a replacement for Fernando Alonso, who was moving to Aston Martin after the retirement of Sebastian Vettel.
However, Piastri rejected the announcement by Alpine on Twitter shortly after: "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."
It's believed Ricciardo is a leading contender for the vacant Alpine seat, who he raced for in 2019-20 when they were known as Renault.
MORE: Is Daniel Ricciardo racing for McLaren next year? Latest updates on the Australian F1 driver
What is Oscar Piastri's current role at Alpine?
Oscar Piastri is Alpine’s Formula 1 reserve driver for the 2022 season.
If required, he will step in for either of the team's full-time drivers - Fernando Alonso or Esteban Ocon - if they are unable to race on a given weekend.
He also travels with the team to each grand prix where he sits in on driver meetings and is often active in the team garage.
Piastri is yet to fill in and race this year but could drive in a practice session during the upcoming triple header.
Alpine sporting director Alan Permane shared that the young Australian will likely feature after the mid-season summer break.
“It‘s not a huge issue to find a weekend; there are plenty,” Permane said, as quoted by Fox Sports.
“I think we’ll see Oscar in our car either in Spa or Monza for the first time.”
Did Oscar Piastri win F2?
Oscar Piastri won Formula 2 in 2021 following a memorable debut season in the second-tier championship.
He finished on a total of 252.5 points, 60.5 points ahead of his nearest challenger Robert Shwartzman.
Notably, Zhou Guanyu finished third in the standings but managed to secure a seat with Alfa Romeo as a driver for the current Formula 1 season.
Who is Oscar Piastri's manager?
Piastri is managed by fellow Australian and former F1 driver Mark Webber.
Webber is one of the founders of JAM Sports Management, which he runs alongside his partner Ann.
Oscar Piastri's career highlights
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Piastri began karting in 2011.
He began to work his way up through races in Australia and Europe, notably finishing third in the Australian Kart Championship in 2015.
The following year he transitioned away from karts, gaining a spot in the Formula 4 UAE Championship thanks to a sponsorship from his father's company HP Tuners.
Piastri then moved to the United Kingdom to compete in Formula 4 British Championship where he finished second in 2017.
The Australian's first major racing championship victory came in 2019 when he finished on top after the Formula Renault Eurocup season.
He progressed to Formula 3 in 2020, immediately followed by a move to Formula 2 in 2021. Remarkably, he won both championships.