Why Oscar Piastri’s move to Alpine is marred by deadline troubles
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Oscar Piastri
Alpine was ecstatic to announce on Tuesday that Oscar Piastri will replace Fernando Alonso and is going to be driving alongside Esteban Ocon heading into the 2023 season, but the Australian himself has categorically denied that he will race for Alpine next year. Both parties are confident of their actual intent, and it appears that an independent organisation will soon have to decide who correctly understood the terms of the contract.
Fernando Alonso may have set the entire drama in motion. According to rumors and speculation, Alpine was to notify Piastri by July 31 whether he would be joining the French team for 2023 or not. For a long time, it appeared that the 21-year-old driver would have no position, as all signs were that two-time world champion Alonso would renew his deal with the current fourth placed team in the constructors’ championship.
The deadline issue for Oscar Piastri
Alpine intended to keep Piastri at Williams for a year. However, Alonso chose to announce his departure from Alpine on August 1, and Alpine reacted the next day by naming Piastri as his substitute, but it may have been too late. The closing date could have been July 31, the last day before the F1 summer break.
Piastri believes that by overlooking this time limit (if it exists), he is completely independent to go anywhere he wants to. McLaren appears to be the most obvious pick. He would never choose a position at Williams over a permanent role at Alpine, and the rest of the sub-top teams have already decided on their roster for next year.
Alpine, on the other hand, believes they are on the correct course on this matter, and we are eager to see what ends up happening next in this 2022 transfer drama. Everything will become clearer once an independent party makes a decision on this issue.
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Rishika Saha
(445 Articles Published)