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In what could be the final chapter of the Oscar Piastri-Alpine saga, team boss Otmar Szafneur disputed the Australian driver's story of his reaction when he was told by the team that he would drive for them next season.
In an exclusive with F1's official website, Piastri said that he did not say anything when the Alpine boss had informed him about replacing Fernando Alonso next season, as the driver did not want to 'create a scene'.
Szafneur, though, has a different version of the sequence of events. He said that the driver was in a simulator with just him, Szafneur and the simulator technician for company, and not a 'group of people' when the team boss told him about replacing Alonso.
Szafneur even added that the driver smiled and thanked him, saying:
"Look, I've never lied to you. And I never will. But what I can tell you is, reiterate what I said before, Oscar was in the simulator. When he finished his simulator session, I went and told him of the release and to congratulate him. And he smiled and said, “Thank You.”."
The Alpine boss added:
"Were there a group of people there? I can tell you no. It was myself, the simulator technician, who will happen to be in the same room. But if you've ever seen a simulator, it's a pretty big room as big as it is here. And there are three of us in that room. So, it wasn't a group of people. It wasn't bizarre, and he smiled and said 'Thank You'."
F1's Contract Recognition Board (CRB) ruled that it was McLaren who has a valid contract with Pietri and not Alpine, who now have to incur expenses of over £500,000, which the team has accepted.
Nevertheless, there remains a lack of clarity on the sequence of events that transpired between Pietri and the Alpine team boss.
How Oscar Piastri reacted to Alpine's annoucement that he would drive for them next season?
Oscar Piastri said that there were 'quite a few people' in the simulator when the Alpine team boss told him that the would drive for them next season.
The Australian said that the team was told 'several times' of his intention to leave, so Alpine's announcement was 'bizarre' and 'upsetting'.
“That was a bizarre and frankly upsetting episode," said Piastri. "It was done publicly in front of some members of the team who were oblivious to the situation, and I didn’t want to cause a scene in front of them. Once we were in private, I told Otmar what our position was and what he had been told multiple times before that. It was very surprising to me to make that announcement.”
The entire episode has left everyone looking bad. Alpine's mishandling has come under the spotlight and also McLaren for their handling of Daniel Ricciardo.
They had announced after the Belgian GP that Piastri won't drive for them next season. There were rumours that Pietri was being lined up as a replacement, which McClaren eventually announced on September 2 after the CRB ruling in their favour.
