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Former F1 driver Paul di Resta believes Alpine might seek monetary compensation from McLaren if Oscar Piastri drives for them in 2023. Alpine announced Piastri's place in the team for the 2023 season after Fernando Alonso announced his move to Aston Martin, but the Australian driver soon after rejected their offer.
F1's Contract Recognition Board (CRB) is set to meet next week to decide the F2 champion's future, as both Alpine and McLaren are reportedly entitled to take the Australian onboard in 2023. McLaren is to part ways with Daniel Ricciardo to reportedly make space for the 21-year-old next year. It is now up to the CRB to decide which team gets Oscar Piastri for next year. However, if Alpine loses its claim to the driver, it will have to find a driver to partner up with Esteban Ocon in 2023.
Former driver Paul di Resta spoke about the Piastri saga, saying:
“I guess what Alpine need is they need compensation from McLaren because they are going to have to pay for someone else. I think that’s not so much about Daniel [Ricciardo], I think that’s written off. I think it’s a compensation to probably go and get Pierre Gasly from Red Bull and put him in that car is what they need to pay to get that jigsaw to happen.”
He added about Oscar Piastri:
“And rightly so, they have put a lot of effort into Oscar, given him a lot of tests and a lot of time and someone else could have developed through that Alpine Academy if not him – they could have put that emphasis on someone else.”
Alpine boss fires shots at Oscar Piastri
Oscar Piastri has been the target of some harsh words from Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer. Speaking to SkySports F1 before the F1 Belgian GP weekend began, Szafneur was questioned about his views on the Australian, to which the Alpine boss said that he had that hoped Oscar Piastri would have had "a bit more integrity."
Szafnauer said of Piastri:
“He’s a promising young driver who hasn’t driven in Formula 1 yet and my wish for Oscar was that he had a bit more integrity. He signed a piece of paper as well back in November and we’ve done everything on our end of the bargain to prepare him for Formula 1. His end of the bargain was to either drive for us, or take a seat where we would place him, for the next three years and I just wish Oscar would have remembered what he signed in November and what he signed up to.”
As it stands, only the CRB can determine the Australian's future in the sport. However, the Alpine test driver's skills are not being questioned by anybody but are instead being praised for the amount of chaos he is causing in the paddock. Stay tuned to find out where the F2 champion ends up.
