Oscar Piastri's announcement that he will not take a seat at Alpine in 2023 has sent Formula 1 into a spin and highlighted a major problem with a team struggling to break through.
Alpine was left needing a new driver after their two-time world champion Fernando Alonso announced he was heading to Aston Martin next year.
The team then announced that Piastri, their 21-year-old reserve driver, would take the step up to join Esteban Ocon as a driver for 2023.
But just hours after the team's announcement, Piastri sensationally rejected the claim and said he would not drive with them.
Reports suggest Piastri has signed a deal with McLaren to take fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo's seat, but no announcement has been made.
Alpine's embarrassment has been clear after losing two drivers in the space of 24 hours, with team principal Otmar Szafnauer scathing over the Australian's lack of loyalty to a team that has guided him through the junior ranks.
"I expected more loyalty from Oscar than he is showing," he told Spanish publication El Confidencial.
"I started in 1989 in Formula 1 and I've never seen anything like this. And it's not about Formula 1, it's about integrity as a human being.
"For me, the way I grew up, I don't need to sign a piece of paper and then have someone say, 'you're lying, because you signed this'."
On face value, Szafnauer is portraying a man angered by the disrespect of an ungrateful youngster who has not yet raced in F1.
But look a little closer and it comes across as a public relations stunt to hide Alpine's colossal mismanagement of one of the sport's hottest prospects.
Szafnauer admitted he was shocked by Alonso's defection, saying Alpine was in discussions with the Spaniard about a new contract.
That means Alpine's perfect scenario was having Alonso and Ocon as drivers for next season, leaving Piastri to spend at least another year as a reserve driver.
No riches, no fame and no racing.
Piastri, knowing his value, rightfully looked elsewhere to see if any other teams wanted to have a driver who has won the Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula Renault championships in the last three seasons.
It appears Piastri has found a team that sees his value.
It is a major shock to Alpine, who is spending another season in the middle of the grid.
Despite years of promise, the team owned by French manufacturer Renault have never really been able to mix it with Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.
The embarrassing defections of Alonso and Piastri last week add to a growing list of those who have ditched the team.
Under their old banner Renault, Ricciardo left them at the end of 2020 while the Red Bull team dumped them as their engine supplier following the 2018 season.
Szafnauer, who took on the role of team principal this year, has the monumental task of lifting this team to the heights it so desperately wants to achieve.
It is a task that seemingly no longer involves Piastri and needs to start with a look inward to see what's driving talent away from the team.
