Yeah, if your F1 expires before your OPT, it makes sense to try for an O1. It's a minor expense for the company. Escalate it through your management chain.

Seriously? I can't renew it? I'm just at the start of my OPT, I can't not visit home for 3 years ...

Well, in theory you can. In practice it gets rejected so often that it's not worth risking unless you have a solid backup plan.