The Formula 1 Contract Recognition Board announced on Friday that Oscar Piastri ‘s only valid agreement for the 2023 season was the one he signed with McLaren, thus ending the legal dispute between Alpine and Woking.
The Australian, replacement for Fernando Alonso, opened up about the episode in an interview with motorsport’s top flight published on Saturday, revealing that the way the Enstone team handled the matter was “annoying” and “strange”.
When French boss Otmar Szafnauer was asked by Motorsport.com about the driver’s allegiance to them during the official FIA press conference, he pointed to the “heads of terms” agreement [a non-legally binding document] being signed at the end of last year.
“We’ve delivered everything above and beyond what we said we were going to do, including 3,500km in the car from last season, making him our reserve driver when McLaren and Mercedes asked us if we could share him in the same role because they didn’t have one. the American explained.
“We allow him to do it, we pay him, that is our loyalty to Oscar [Piastri],” said the Alpine director, who questioned the integrity of the reigning Formula 2 champion.
Meanwhile, the Australian has faced criticism from across the paddock for his role in the matter and for his public statement that he would not drive for Alpine despite previously telling the team privately. Szafnauer did not retract his comments about Piastri when given the chance to do so on Saturday, saying the French team “fulfilled a contract that they thought they had above expectations”.
“The only thing we asked of Oscar in that contract was that he be an Alpine driver or be placed elsewhere for 2023 and 2024,” said the Enstone outfit boss. “And that didn’t do it.”
All the controversy has left Alpine without a driver to accompany Esteban Ocon next season, and it seems that they are determined to sign Pierre Gasly, but they would have to reach an agreement for the Frenchman to free himself from his commitments with Red Bull and AlphaTauri.
However, Szafnauer does not believe that the case reflects a bad image of his team, since he thinks that “it is based on what happens on the track and how they act”: “We will do the best we can, not only for this year, but we will continue to improve.”
“We’re on a recruiting drive, we’re spending money on tools, we understand what it takes to compete in the top three,” he continued. “That’s our goal, with the goal of winning a world championship in five years.”
“We have to do everything to make that happen, and we are in the process of doing it. The best thing for Alpine’s image is to win on the track, and that is what we will try to do,” said the head of the Enstone team.
Piastri and Alonso’s comments have revealed some struggles in the negotiations with Alpine. The Spaniard went on to say that there was always a “strange feeling” when talks stalled, thus paving the way for his move to Aston Martin.
Otmar Szafnauer noted that the Australian’s November deal predated his arrival at the team this summer, saying that while it would be “easy to blame people who aren’t here anymore”, it’s not his “style”: The right thing to do is to take a look at what has happened, understand where the deficiencies were and fix them for the future.
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