Oscar Piastri gives his version of the facts of the imbroglio about his contract
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The FIA’s Contract Recognition Bureau (CRB) ruled on Friday and dismissed Alpine, which claimed to have had a contract with its protege since 2019. Oscar Piastri will therefore drive for McLaren from next year. Much criticized by Otam Szafnauer for his supposed lack of loyalty, the young Australian delivered his version of the facts to the Formula 1 site.
“CRB’s decision confirmed that I did not have a contract for the 2023 season. [avec Alpine]recalls the 2021 F2 champion.I was free to choose my destiny and I felt McLaren was a great opportunity. They were very direct, very eager and enthusiastic to have me. To be completely honest, there was a lack of clarity around my future in the Alpine team. They have publicly stated that they want to continue with Fernando (Alonso) for at least another year or two. I respect that. But after spending the year 2022 without riding, my hopes rested on an Alpine bucket seat in 2023 but between the lack of clarity and a bit of a strange feeling in the negotiations, I did not feel that it was the right decision for me to rely on them. »
“It’s quite embarrassing as the announcement was fake and it also deprived me of the opportunity to properly say goodbye to everyone at Enstone”
While Alpine, following the surprise departure of Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin, announced on August 2 that Piastri would replace him, the Australian assures that he had already informed the French team of his choice to change air. . “My decision was made long before Alonso’s decision, which made Alpine’s announcement probably even more confusing and annoying because we had told the team that I was not going to continue. This was quite embarrassing as the ad was fake and it also robbed me of the opportunity to properly say goodbye to everyone in Enstone. »
While Szafnauer had said he announced his tenure at Piastri, provoking sincere enthusiasm in the young driver, again Mark Webber’s protege gives a different version: “It was a bizarre and frankly upsetting episode. Otmar told me this in front of some team members who were unaware of the situation and I didn’t want to make a scene in front of them. Once in private, I explained to Otmar what our position was and what he had been told many times before. It was very surprising to me that he made this announcement. »
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