The CRB has rendered a verdict int he contract dispute between Oscar Piastri and Alpine saying:
A Tribunal appointed by the Contract Recognition Board held a meeting on 29 August 2022 when counsel for Alpine Racing Limited, McLaren Racing Limited and Mr Oscar Piastri were heard. The Tribunal has issued a Unanimous Decision that the only Contract to be recognised by the Board is the Contract between McLaren Racing Limited and Mr Piastri dated 4 July 2022. Mr Piastri is entitled to drive for McLaren Racing Limited for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The members of the Tribunal comprised Ian Hunter QC presiding, Prof. Klaus Peter Berger, Matthieu de Boisseson and Stefano Azzali.
The dispute was centered around Alpine’s insistence that they had a contract with Piastri to drive for Alpine but Oscar chose to sign a deal with McLaren instead.
Alpine released a statement saying:
“We consider the matter closed on our side and will announce our full 2023 driver line-up in due course.
“Our immediate focus is the Dutch Grand Prix and securing points in our fight for fourth in the constructors’ championship.”
For McLaren, they are excited to have Oscar on their team joining Lando Norris for the 2023 season saying:
McLaren Racing has signed 2021 FIA Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri on a multi-year contract to partner Lando Norris from the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship season.
The 21-year-old Australian from Melbourne has an impressive motorsport resume, winning the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup before going on to win the 2020 FIA Formula 3 Championship and 2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship in successive Rookie seasons.
Piastri will join Lando Norris to complete the McLaren F1 Team 2023 driver line-up, after the team announced a multi-year extension to Lando’s contract last season.
Oscar Piastri, said:
“I’m extremely excited to be making my F1 debut with such a prestigious team as McLaren and I’m very grateful for the opportunity that’s been offered to me. The team has a long tradition of giving young talent a chance, and I’m looking forward to working hard alongside Lando to push the team towards the front of the grid. I’m focused on preparing for my F1 debut in 2023 and starting my F1 career in papaya.”
Now, as big as F1 is and has become, the reality is that the paddock and inner workings of F1 can be quite small. It is a very parochial environment if I’m honest. The interesting thing is that these kinds of moves can create wonderful supporters and friends but it can also produce enemies.
I watched an interview with Jenson Button and I tend to agree that making enemies so early in his career is maybe not a great move. Having said that, I can argue the other side of that coin and say that Michael Schumacher did the same when he joined Benetton instead of Jordan. This has happened several times before.
If Oscar produces the performances many believe him capable of, then stepping on a few toes will be forgotten as he would be sought after by all the teams. Time will tell. Leaving Jordan in teh cold didn’t impact Schumacher’s career and I doubt leaving Alpine will be a long-standing wound on Oscar’s career. Time will tell.
Now that this bit of distraction is out of the way, we can get back to racing.
Didn’t see that coming, not.
LOL…who knew??!! ;)