2022-2023 Silly Season Thread

[S griffin]

It’s very confusing when people refer to Piastri as OP, as that means something different on forums!

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Alan52

The CRB doesn’t announce its decisions.We will next hear a driver announcement from one of the teams.

The CRB have announced their decision

"The only Contract to be recognised by is the Contract between McLaren Racing Limited and Mr Piastri dated 4 July 2022. Mr Piastri is entitled to drive for McLaren Racing for the 2023 and 2024 seasons"

[S griffin]

I had a feeling it would work in McLaren’s favour. They seemed confident they had enough to back up their case and a lot of what they said made sense

Anyway, welcome to the F1 grid for 2023 Oscar!

[Coach Ep]

Losing Piastri is painful for Alpine but we'll have to wait to see next year's overall performance from both teams in order to determine if Oscar made the right call.

[peterelise]

Just seen an article authored by Mark Hughes stating that Gasly is joining Alpine and that Herta is likely to take his place at Alpha Tauri (super license permitting). Can’t find it reported anywhere else as yet.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by peterelise

Just seen an article authored by Mark Hughes stating that Gasly is joining Alpine and that Herta is likely to take his place at Alpha Tauri (super license permitting). Can’t find it reported anywhere else as yet.

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-co...-superlicence/

[Tourer]

Good article in Autosport about what a colossal mess Alpine has made of its driver negotiations. Sounded weird in the driver negotiation information coming out, that some discussions were with Rossi and others with Otmar - felt like something of a cluster-fluff.

Very pleased for Mr Piastri that he has his future plans confirmed, really hope that Danny Ric finds somewhere that 's a good fit and will wait to see how things pan out at Alpine if Gasly does go there. I mean (ostensibly) French team, two French drivers (who apparently despise each other) and what appears to be slightly chaotic management structure - what could possibly go wrong?

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Losing Piastri is painful for Alpine but we'll have to wait to see next year's overall performance from both teams in order to determine if Oscar made the right call.

Oscar made no such call though. He signed a binding contract with McLaren before Alpine offered him a drive. He was legally unable, therefore, to accept and Alpine offer, even if he wanted to.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Oscar made no such call though. He signed a binding contract with McLaren before Alpine offered him a drive. He was legally unable, therefore, to accept and Alpine offer, even if he wanted to.

He wasn't drafted by McLaren. HE CHOSE to make the call to McLaren and start down that path over calling Alpine and pursuing an extension there. It's not complicated to understand the expressing making the right call by choosing to go to another team over the team he knew.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

He wasn't drafted by McLaren. HE CHOSE to make the call to McLaren and start down that path over calling Alpine and pursuing an extension there. It's not complicated to understand the expressing making the right call by choosing to go to another team over the team he knew.

I don't think how you frame it is accurate (based upon what we know) At the time he made the decision... as far as he knew he could either (1) Drive for McLaren in 2023 or (2) hope for the best with Alpine, but with no contract for a race seat for 2023 or beyond.

Option (1) was was a commitment (I will happen), while option (2) was Alpine seeming to be verbally saying "we will take care of you eventually", but without that being written in contract form. Option (3) to drive for Alpine in 2023 didn't exist until AFTER he made his choice.

This is a perfect example of "Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" if there ever was one.

In the end, I am not shocked by the decision as all the messaging out of Alpine was along the lines of "We wish Oscar had trusted us". Which clearly means they had promised him things in the future, but had no contract in place.

I am puzzled as to why Oscar is painted as the bad guy or that he acted in an unethical way in all of this.

ALL of this mess would not have happened if Alpine had just had him under contract in some capacity for 2023 that prevented him from going elsewhere!


Richard

[Mike Harte]

Richard, it's not quite like that, certainly according to Autosport. The report from there states that the contract that McLaren and Piastri signed on 4th July '22 was for him to be their reserve driver, but with the proviso that he would be elevated to a race seat if so required.

Now, at that time Riccardio hadn't either been told yet that his services wouldn't be required for next year or, if he had been told, the two sides hadn't reached an agreeable settlement for that to happen.

Of course, it is possible that McLaren had already told Piastri that he would be in the race seat, but that he had to keep that to himself, but it wasn't in the contract that they signed. And at that time, just after the British GP, none of the parties, that is Alpine, McLaren and Piastri, knew that Alonso was going to drop the bombshell that he was leaving to join Aston Martin!

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Richard, it's not quite like that, certainly according to Autosport. The report from there states that the contract that McLaren and Piastri signed on 4th July '22 was for him to be their reserve driver, but with the proviso that he would be elevated to a race seat if so required.

Now, at that time Riccardio hadn't either been told yet that his services wouldn't be required for next year or, if he had been told, the two sides hadn't reached an agreeable settlement for that to happen.

Of course, it is possible that McLaren had already told Piastri that he would be in the race seat, but that he had to keep that to himself, but it wasn't in the contract that they signed. And at that time, just after the British GP, none of the parties, that is Alpine, McLaren and Piastri, knew that Alonso was going to drop the bombshell that he was leaving to join Aston Martin!

Not disagreeing with you here. Details are different than I say, but situation pretty much the same.

Given Daniel was still signed for 2023, I expect they had to structure it that way. Alpine was offering promises and McLaren was offering a contract.

All just my opinion/speculation.

Richard

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

He wasn't drafted by McLaren. HE CHOSE to make the call to McLaren and start down that path over calling Alpine and pursuing an extension there. It's not complicated to understand the expressing making the right call by choosing to go to another team over the team he knew.

He chose to accept an offer from McLaren as he was out of contract at Alpine and they showed no inclination to offer any binding renewal. It really isn’t that hard to understand.

He didn’t make a choice as he only had one offer on the table. That really isn’t that hard to understand either.

Alpine dropped the ball totally. Not only did they not have him under contract, some of their personnel didn’t even realise that. Heads will roll no doubt. They’ve had some proper jokes as Team Principal for sure, no matter how they like to try and deflect with the ludicrous claims about integrity etc. - of which they showed zero.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

I don't think how you frame it is accurate (based upon what we know) At the time he made the decision... as far as he knew he could either (1) Drive for McLaren in 2023 or (2) hope for the best with Alpine, but with no contract for a race seat for 2023 or beyond.



Option (1) was was a commitment (I will happen), while option (2) was Alpine seeming to be verbally saying "we will take care of you eventually", but without that being written in contract form. Option (3) to drive for Alpine in 2023 didn't exist until AFTER he made his choice.



This is a perfect example of "Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" if there ever was one.



In the end, I am not shocked by the decision as all the messaging out of Alpine was along the lines of "We wish Oscar had trusted us". Which clearly means they had promised him things in the future, but had no contract in place.



I am puzzled as to why Oscar is painted as the bad guy or that he acted in an unethical way in all of this.



ALL of this mess would not have happened if Alpine had just had him under contract in some capacity for 2023 that prevented him from going elsewhere!





Richard

Nothing that's been said says he WASN'T on Alpine's radar for the seat and could have pursued that. Sounds like he smartly went for the first option offered and Alpine was waiting so they lost. If he's under contract with them they can talk extension all day long but neither side appears to have done so

[bathurst77]

Before Alonso announced he was jumping ship, Oscar had two choices
- another year or 2 as reserve driver, or perhaps a williams drive
- Mclaren guaranteed drive

which way would you jump?

(imagine if after all this hullaballoo, Oscar turrns out to be a dud? hahahah)

[S griffin]

Yes, I doubt he saw Fred jumping ship to Aston. So I don’t blame him for signing for McLaren. With no Alpine “B-team”, he needed to find another team

[MCWB]

So now it emerges that Alpine had been told that Piastri wouldn't be racing with them when they announced that he would be. Extraordinary...

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by MCWB

So now it emerges that Alpine had been told that Piastri wouldn't be racing with them when they announced that he would be. Extraordinary...

I think it was fairly obvious at the time, and was just someone at Alpine trying desperately to save face/his job.

I have no link to OP but, like many in the paddock, I’m disappointed they way he has been continually smeared when actually he did nothing wrong at all.

[bathurst77]

Its starting to look like Danny R will have a fairytale end to his career.... Grimm

[bathurst77]

Mick Schu 2 has been cut loose by Ferrari academy. I dont think its a reflection on his ability or not.

AS said on Sky F1 The academy's job is to find young drivers in karts and lower classes and develop them and get them into f1. Once they are in they have done their job and they find another.

Mick has graduated from the academy, so its time for the chick to leave the nest and fly or fall on his own. You cant stay in school for ever. None of us can rely on their college to find them job years after finishing the course

He has that name (media and sponsors love), that father, that uncle, that family money, that schooling, if he flies or falls its entirely in his own hands now.

Some "SORFs" (son of racing father) have done well
Verstappen, Hill, Villenvue, Rosberg etc
many have failed (at least in f1 but done well in other classes)
Brabham, Piquet etc

It will be good to see how MS2 goes

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by peebee2

He chose to accept an offer from McLaren as he was out of contract at Alpine and they showed no inclination to offer any binding renewal. It really isn’t that hard to understand.

He didn’t make a choice as he only had one offer on the table. That really isn’t that hard to understand either.

Alpine dropped the ball totally. Not only did they not have him under contract, some of their personnel didn’t even realise that. Heads will roll no doubt. They’ve had some proper jokes as Team Principal for sure, no matter how they like to try and deflect with the ludicrous claims about integrity etc. - of which they showed zero.

Love him or loath him I cannot imagine Flav would have let this happen

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by MCWB

So now it emerges that Alpine had been told that Piastri wouldn't be racing with them when they announced that he would be. Extraordinary...

Guess they thought their contract with him was very watertight, but either way, incredible incompetence

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Guess they thought their contract with him was very watertight, but either way, incredible incompetence

Despite the fact that he’d already told them he was going elsewhere numerous times?

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

Mick Schu 2 has been cut loose by Ferrari academy. I dont think its a reflection on his ability or not.

AS said on Sky F1 The academy's job is to find young drivers in karts and lower classes and develop them and get them into f1. Once they are in they have done their job and they find another.

Mick has graduated from the academy, so its time for the chick to leave the nest and fly or fall on his own. You cant stay in school for ever. None of us can rely on their college to find them job years after finishing the course

He has that name (media and sponsors love), that father, that uncle, that family money, that schooling, if he flies or falls its entirely in his own hands now.

Some "SORFs" (son of racing father) have done well
Verstappen, Hill, Villenvue, Rosberg etc
many have failed (at least in f1 but done well in other classes)
Brabham, Piquet etc

It will be good to see how MS2 goes

Actually the academy’s “job” is to generate revenue, having originally been bankrolled by Stroll.

On Schu jr, you have to assume he’s signed for someone else otherwise he might as well stay in the loop, just in case.

[broadrun96]

Not so sure others would go out on that limb to sign him but Alpine can't find anyone at all so......


So Herta apparently has a Red Bull deal with AT IF the FIA allow him. I don't get why he would get an exemption. Indy crowned a champion in 2020 and 21 so he had a chance to earn points in both seasons, and Pato had a better case when the FIA said Indy Lights didn't have enough cars to award champion points.