I rather dismissed his point, by that time both Lando and George wouldn't be exactly rookies. Not compared to Alonso sure, but the dynamics within the team will be much better if the two drivers are from the same generation.
That will be the likely move, Piastri to McLaren and Ricciardo to Alpine on greatly reduced terms from when he left them.Alpine backed themselves into a corner really, they were happy to leave him benched until it suited them. Now Alonso has gone behind their backs they're suddenly desperate to keep him.
Maybe they can take Ricciardo back
No doubt because he had stakeholders in his ear telling him the championship cant finish and be decided under a safety car because it will damage the spectacle. Including the demands of the team bosses, particularly Toto, earlier in the season about not ending races under safety cars.
This is so they can be classified as a new engine manufacturer in 2026 with RB Powertrains/Porsche and get all the subsidies and benefits from that.
The subsidy is very little (up to $15m in the first three years) in the context of the overall cost. I think the reason why they've announced the extension is that the protests that would come from the other engine manufacturers, mostly Alpine, around the Honda IP transferring to Porsche at the end of 2025 and by buying the units from Japan for this period instead of building in Milton Keynes gives them a clear separation. Also the definition of what counts as a newcomer especially on subsidies, probably will need to be defined when we have multiple marquees from the same ownership coming into the sport.
Agreed. I also think the 3 year deal for Ocon last season has led to this situation. Alonso would've wanted the same assurances and Piastri would've been uncertain about his future driving for them.Alpine backed themselves into a corner really, they were happy to leave him benched until it suited them. Now Alonso has gone behind their backs they're suddenly desperate to keep him.
Maybe they can take Ricciardo back
That is great, the huge tubs of Dolmio and the robot on hard tyres got me.
It just seems they're happy with both Ocon and Alonso but don't want to lose Piastri. At the same time they can't actually get Piastri a seat, and he's not going to sit on the bench for another year or 2.
there's a new Aussie in town.Their view probably was Piastri in a seat like Williams will be better grounding and experience for him as a driver before coming into the fold a year later. Alonso is 41, it makes better commercial sense to offer him a 1 year deal whilst he's at the end of career (ability aside) with a year option, similar to how football teams don't offer long term deals to those reaching the end of their careers.
For me it was the Topa Secret folder.
According to Scott Mitchel, from The Race, Alpine had until the 31st July to find Piastri a seat for 2023 or else he could speak to other teams. Alpine wanted Alonso to 'warm' that seat for Piastri, hence the 1 year deal. It's quite possible that Alonso waited until the cut off date and announced on the 1st August that he's going to Aston Martin, just to screw over Alpine for treating him as a second rate driver. El Plan has fully been revealed...It just seems they're happy with both Ocon and Alonso but don't want to lose Piastri. At the same time they can't actually get Piastri a seat, and he's not going to sit on the bench for another year or 2.
Will be interesting to see how it plays out, but for those who thought Mclaren are happy with Ricciardo
Be absolutely amazed if ferrari, alpine and Mercedes let that happen.
Whether intentionally or not, his nativity opened him up to far too much 'lobbying' by the teams.
But he was also simultaneously held responsible for systematic failures of the FIA, for the ambiguous outdated rule book, for the inconsistent stewards and for the lobbying team bosses. Compared to all of that one split second decision made with good intentions is nothing. Perfectly scapegoated.
That 100% sounds like something Alonso would do too. Great pickup by AM anyway, as much as I love Vettel he's clearly not got his heart in it like he used to.According to Scott Mitchel, from The Race, Alpine had until the 31st July to find Piastri a seat for 2023 or else he could speak to other teams. Alpine wanted Alonso to 'warm' that seat for Piastri, hence the 1 year deal. It's quite possible that Alonso waited until the cut off date and announced on the 1st August that he's going to Aston Martin, just to screw over Alpine for treating him as a second rate driver. El Plan has fully been revealed...
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Agreed, but I think the stewards were in an almost impossible situation. Their only recourse was to cancel laps (has this ever happened?) to re-instate a different finishing order. However, I'm not inclined to give Masi any credit. He has handled countless safety car scenarios over the year, following the rules/procedures was second nature. It took an active effort for him to change that procedure.
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Latifi staying in Williams will be hilarious.
It depends on how Sargeant does in F2 this year, if he fails to get ahead of Drugovic or Pourchaire in the title race then I could see him doing another season in F2. It would leave Latifi as a favourite and possibly Nyck De Vries as a left field choice.
lots of people seem convinced this is a power play to alpine to force him to commit - nothing confirmed by Piastri himself yet.
Latifis family are billionaires so really helped Williams with the money. Now they’re better funded they can afford to take a ‘better’ driver.
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Wow, crazy stuff
Alpine look a bunch of fokking vankers now.Dont think there's any chance he writes the words I wont be driving for Alpine next year, if he hasn't already got a firm agreement with someone else.
Probably not. But then did we read the Alpine tweet and genuinely think it was bollocks at first until the facts started leaking?!
WTH.. Never thought I'd read like an academy driver put out a statement like that.. Woah
