Oscar Piastri: A legal concern for Alpine?
With Fernando Alonso's departure to Aston Martin, Alpine must find a replacement for him. The choice could be Oscar Piatri, but a problem might jeopardize the contract.
Article updated at the end of the article.
Oscar Piastri, Alpine’s reserve driver, seemed like the ideal candidate to take over from Fernando Alonso. However, a legal issue could potentially cause trouble for the team.
Indeed, according to certain rumors, Oscar Piastri is reportedly in discussions and might have even reached an agreement to join McLaren next season.
Otmar Szafnauer doesn’t see it the same way and hopes that the driver chooses Alpine for the 2023 season. He believes that in the contract, the driver has an obligation to race for the team he had signed for.
« I heard the same rumors as you. But what I know is that he has obligations towards us in his contract, and we have the same obligations towards him as well. » declared the director during an interview on Autosport.
« These obligations must last until 2023 or 2024 if certain options are exercised. »
The director of Alpine stated that he was not aware of any possible arrangements between McLaren and Oscar Piastri. « I am not aware of the arrangements he had with McLaren. »
According to Otmar Szafnauer, Alpine’s reserve driver is the perfect candidate to replace the Spanish driver. This applies not only to the contract signed in 2021, but also in terms of emotionally conditioning him for the race and thus economically benefiting from his performances.
This year, our obligations towards him were to position him as a reserve driver and have him drive last year’s car for a considerable amount of time. We are over halfway through this 5000-kilometer program to prepare him for next year’s race.
The departure of Fernando Alonso has disrupted Alpine’s plans for the following season. They initially wanted to loan Oscar Piastri to a team, namely Williams or McLaren. But things have changed and Alpine now needs a driver to replace the Spaniard. If Oscar Piastri’s move to McLaren is confirmed, Alpine could therefore consider Daniel Ricciardo, who would go in the opposite direction and rejoin his former team.
Update at 6:20 PM on 08/02/2022
Oscar Piastri has officially been announced as a starter by Alpine for the 2023 season. The team, which had priority, has therefore exercised its clause.
Update at 8:20 PM on 02.08.2022
Oscar Piastri communicated on his social networks that he has not signed a contract with Alpine and will not be driving for Alpine in 2023.
