Otmar Szafnauer has mentioned he “wouldn’t be shocked” to be taught main figures in Formulation 1 had been sharing data with one another behind closed doorways.
The Alpine boss was on the centre of slightly embarrassing affair when his workforce type to exchange the departing Fernando Alonso with Oscar Piastri, solely to be publicly snubbed by the younger Australian on Twitter.
The transfer has kickstarted the start of F1’s ‘foolish season’ with Piastri mentioned to be set to signal for McLaren leaving Daniel Ricciardo’s future at present up within the air.
Understandably Szafnauer has felt let down by main gamers concerned within the negotiations and, given the quickness of Alonso’s transfer to Aston Martin, it was put to him that perhaps there had been some discuss behind Alpine’s backs.
In an interview with Spanish outlet El Confidencial, Szafnauer was requested if he had been naïve given Alonso, Mark Webber (Piastri’s supervisor) and Flavio Briatore have been all very near which he replied he “wouldn’t be shocked” to be taught data had been shared.
“Look, I’ve no document of it [information behind shared], however that is Formulation 1 and perhaps in a few years somebody says that they’ve proof of shared data, I might not be shocked,” the Alpine boss mentioned.
“I at all times inform everybody that in Formulation 1 it’s important to act as if everybody is aware of every thing. That there are not any secrets and techniques in these items. While you ask somebody to not say something, they act like everybody is aware of (laughs).
“That’s how I’ve run my enterprise in Formulation 1 for 25 years. And if this (sharing data between the protagonists) has occurred, you shouldn’t be shocked.”
Szafnauer has been vocal in his criticism of Piastri who he believes has a contract in place for 2023, going so far as questioning the integrity of the 21-year-old.
“The strategic plan is superb and Piastri is aware of it, higher even than McLaren’s. We’re forward of them within the Championship and we hope to be forward of them on the finish of the World Championship. We now have an enormous price range and folks with a variety of expertise.
“I simply arrived, I do know the areas to strengthen, the technical workforce, we’re recruiting folks within the areas that we have to enhance and we’re implementing new instruments.
“In our future, in that 100-race plan that we’re all engaged on, I feel there’s additionally room for Piastri. And we’ve supported him. There ought to be some loyalty to the truth that we’ve actually invested tens of millions and tens of millions of euros to arrange him. So I don’t get it both, it’s best to ask him.”
A timeline of the Oscar Piastri affair which left Alpine out within the chilly
Whereas the origins of this saga arguably date again to when Piastri and Alonso each joined Alpine, setting them on a collision course to in the future be preventing over the identical seat, it actually ramped up final November when Alpine declare the Australian signed a brand new contract with the workforce which can turn out to be vital later.
The season trundles together with Alonso impressing whereas having a sport of ‘who will blink first?’ with the Alpine larger ups. Together with his deal set to finish in November, Alonso is after a brand new contract however Alpine appear to be taking their time debating whether or not to solely provide a yr or maybe no extension and catapult Piastri into the race seat.
Then, the sport adjustments as Sebastian Vettel proclaims he’s leaving Aston Martin which opens up a race seat for 2023. From the best way Szafnauer has been speaking of late, it appears the concept of Alonso shifting had not crossed his thoughts so maybe he didn’t pay an excessive amount of consideration to the Aston Martin emptiness.
The primary he turned conscious that one thing was afoot was on the morning after the Hungarian Grand Prix to which the Romanian-American awoke to search out his two-time World Champion had departed. The day earlier than Alonso had advised Szafnauer he was occurring vacation to Greece and wouldn’t be capable to reached so it got here of little shock when the Alpine boss rang with no reply.
I perceive that, with out my settlement, Alpine F1 have put out a press launch late this afternoon that I’m driving for them subsequent yr. That is flawed and I’ve not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I cannot be driving for Alpine subsequent yr.
— Oscar Piastri (@OscarPiastri) August 2, 2022
“Alonso advised me on Sunday evening that he was going to a Greek island on a ship, I feel he talked about it, not for me to go together with him (laughs). I known as him a few occasions within the morning and couldn’t attain him. It’s what he advised me, that it might be troublesome to find him, in order that’s why he mentioned that.”
Alpine reacted shortly, asserting Piastri that afternoon, who they believed had signed a contract final yr that allowed them to advertise him for 2023, solely to be publicly rebuked by Piastri on social media.
“I perceive that, with out my settlement, Alpine F1 have put out a press launch late this afternoon that I’m driving for them subsequent yr. That is flawed and I’ve not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I cannot be driving for Alpine subsequent yr,” the Australian tweeted.
It doesn’t take a lot to understand that Piastri wouldn’t say that with no assure from one other workforce which is strongly rumoured to be McLaren.
So that’s the place we stand. Alpine imagine they’ve a contract with Piastri, Piastri believes he has signed for McLaren and McLaren try to barter a $21 million buy-out clause on Daniel Ricciardo’s contract.