‘Upsetting, bizarre’: Oscar Piastri lashes out after Alpine exit

The decision may have been made but the war is far from over after Oscar Piastri’s messy split from Alpine was confirmed.

Oscar Piastri’s divorce with Alpine was finally confirmed on Friday night but the fallout of the bitter split just seems to be getting started.

The drama began what seems like an age ago when Sebastian Vettel retired, Fernando Alonso took his seat at Aston Martin and Alpine announced Piastri would fill the seat, only for the young Aussie to refuse the promotion.

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It sent F1 into a frenzy as the mid-season break was dominated by Piastri, Daniel Ricciardo, who was ultimately fired by McLaren with a big pay out, and Alpine as the sport tried to grapple with what had happened.

After the long-drawn out process finally saw the parties front the Contract Recognition Board last Monday, the decision was finally passed down on Friday night, with the FIA board deciding McLaren held the only valid contract.

It meant Piastri was free to join McLaren in 2023, while Alpine appeared to be moving quickly to hire AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly for the vacant seat.

Although it brings the situation to a close, the feud is set to bubble on for some time after Piastri and Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer took shots at each other on Saturday.

Piastri has been quiet since his explosive tweet rejecting Alpine was posted but was finally able to give his side of the story via the F1 website.

“My decision (to join McLaren) was made well in advance (of Alonso’s departure), which made Alpine’s announcement probably even more confusing and upsetting because we had told the team that I wasn’t going to continue,” he said.

“It was quite upsetting as the announcement was false and it also denied me the opportunity to properly say goodbye to everyone at Enstone.

“I had been with team for a bit over two and a half years now, and for the rest of the team to find out I was leaving in that manner was very upsetting.

“I still haven’t had the opportunity to say goodbye and it’s something I want to do to show my gratitude to all the men and women at Enstone.”

Oscar Piastri walking away from Alpine. Source Twitter / BWT Alpine F1 Team @alpinef1team

Piastri said the decision was made before the Alonso exit, as the CRB revealed the Aussie’s contract was signed on July 4, days before Ricciardo said he was staying with McLaren.

Alonso’s exit was confirmed August 1 Australian time.

Incredibly, Piastri claimed he had alerted Szafnauer of his plans and had kept Alpine in the loop of his negotiations.

Szafnauer revealed last week Piastri had “smiled and said thank you” after being told of the news he was about to be named in the vacant seat.

But Piastri had a different perspective on the situation.

“That was a bizarre and frankly upsetting episode,” Piastri said.

“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.

“It was the biggest moment of my career and probably my life up to now. To have that falsely announced was something my management and I felt we had to correct and there was also potential legal implications if we didn’t deny the announcement.

“It was not intended to be pointed or in any way anything more than factual. The last line was quite a strong one, but with the CRB ruling, it shows it was purely a fact.”

Oscar Piastri with his 2021 F2 championship trophy.

The reason Piastri felt like he could look elsewhere was the lack of firm details from Alpine as the French outfit refused to commit to a time when the Aussie would be a free agent.

“The lack of clarity around my future, and ultimately a breakdown in trust, I felt the very attractive offer of McLaren and the positive dealings with them thus far were all reasons why I felt McLaren was where I was best off for the future,” he said.

“The CRB ruling has confirmed I didn’t have a contract for the 2023 season [with Alpine].

“I was free to choose my destiny – and I felt McLaren was a great opportunity. They were very straightforward and very keen and enthusiastic to have me. To be completely honest, there was a lack of clarity around my future at the team at Alpine.

“They publicly stated they wished to continue with Fernando for at least one or two more years. I respect that. But after spending the year out, my hopes were firmly set on an Alpine seat and the lack of clarity and, similarly to Fernando, a bit of a strange feeling in negotiations, it didn’t feel like it was the right decision for me (to stay around).”

But Szafnauer also spoke to the media, fronting the team principal press conference on qualifying day at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Szafnauer wasn’t happy. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

He denied Alpine was dragging its feet.

“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 releases and to congratulate him and he smiled and said ‘thank you’,” Szafnauer said.

“Were there a group of people there? I can tell you no. It was myself, the simulator technician – who happened to be in the same room – but if you’ve seen a simulator it’s a pretty big room, as big as it is here, and there were three of us in that room. It wasn’t a group of people, it wasn’t bizarre, and he smiled and said ‘thank you’.

“We delivered everything above and beyond what we said we were going to do, including 3,500km in last year’s car, making him our reserve driver when McLaren and Mercedes asked if we could share him as a reserve because they didn’t have one.

“We allowed him to do that. We paid him. That’s our loyalty to Oscar.

“The one thing we asked of Oscar in that contract was to be a driver for Alpine or to be placed somewhere else for 2023 and 2024. And that he didn’t do.”

These comments come after the Alpine boss questioned Piastri’s loyalty and integrity several times.

Although the divorce has been put to bed, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be amicable.