The F1 thread

goldtop

fretmeister said:

Well!

It seems the "Alpine let the option run out" thing wasn't true.

but... it seems that both McLaren and Alpine have valid contracts with Piastri and it might be heading for court

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-piastri-two-valid-alpine-mclaren-contracts/

Plot twist 1: Seems Alpine's contract with Piastri was not a contract with the F1 team, therefore not lodged. So it would be via a civil court with damages that Alpine get recompense for losing him.

Plot twist 2: McLaren needs $21,000,000 to crowbar Ricciardo out of the car.

https://racingnews365.com/revealed-why-piastri-wont-race-for-alpine-in-2023 ;

chillidoggy

stickyfiddle said:

chillidoggy said:

Rumours circulating that Piastri will replace Danny Ric.

edit - I may be behind the curve on this one.

Did you hear Mika Hakkinen is taking a sabbatical?!

Well, if Fret’s link is anything to go by, I might not be too far adrift!

Cols

goldtop said:

Plot twist 2: McLaren needs $21,000,000 to crowbar Ricciardo out of the car.

https://racingnews365.com/revealed-why-piastri-wont-race-for-alpine-in-2023 ;

That's probably his whole salary for 2023, which seems reasonable considering they have no legal basis for cancelling his contract.

skullfunkerry

Not reflecting well on Piastri* is it, this?

*and/or his management

goldtop

^ Button fired his management to try to get some distance from his shenanigans. Frankly, everybody forgets these legal nasties when the Championships are won.

YellowLedBetterMan

Surely if Mclaren want shot of Danny Ric, who would probably want to go back to Alpine, and the bridge between Alpine and Piastri is already burnt - surely an agreement can be found for DR to move over to Alpine and Piastri to get the Mclaren seat. Driver swap and some agreement to pay, in part, and compensation/damages and call it quits?

Cols

goldtop said:

^ Button fired his management to try to get some distance from his shenanigans. Frankly, everybody forgets these legal nasties when the Championships are won.

As I recall, Button had two years running of contract shenanigans between Williams and BAR.  The first time he wanted to jump from BAR to Williams, but the Contracts Recognition Board ruled that BAR's contract was valid.  The following year Williams had first call on him, but by then he'd changed his mind and wanted to remain with BAR.  As I recall, it cost him £18 million to be released from his Williams contract.

I doubt he's forgotten that one...

goldtop

I read Button's autobiog and he didn't dwell on it.

If he'd had to make a Faustian pact that to win a WDC, all he'd have to do is dishonour his own word and stump up £18m, well, TBH, I think he'd have slit a vein and signed before the Devil had a chance to find his biro. 

Cols

Apparently “Ricciardo’s asking price of $21 million of McLaren is contingent on him then sitting out the season with no F1 drive.

If he were to sign with another team, the salary he would be paid (of $21 million or lower) by that team would then be refunded back to McLaren.”

What are the odds DR signs for Alpine on a 2023 salary of $1?

https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-seeking-21-million-dollar-pay-out-for-mclaren-contract-termination/

In combination with the compensation Alpine are seeking from McLaren for Piastri, this looks like being the most expensive rookie of all time.  I hope he’s worth it...

RiftAmps

PlanetF1 and RN365 are nothing more than gossip websites, I wouldn't read too much into anything that they post online. It's pure and simple clickbait with the hope that some of their shit sticks to the walls and ends up being right.

Those two, plus crash.net are all quoting Speedcafe.com as their source, an Australian website known for fabricating stories.

Let's wait until Autosport posts some actual news about the DR/OP fiasco, shall we?

goldtop

RiftAmps said:

PlanetF1 and RN365 are nothing more than gossip websites, I wouldn't read too much into anything that they post online. It's pure and simple clickbait with the hope that some of their shit sticks to the walls and ends up being right.

Those two, plus crash.net are all quoting Speedcafe.com as their source, an Australian website known for fabricating stories.

Let's wait until Autosport posts some actual news about the DR/OP fiasco, shall we?

Pfft! Are you new to motor-racing? It's a feature we like to call "silly season" It's always the most entertaining bit of F1.

/s

goldtop

Meanwhile, Alpine's PR has done a great job ghost-writing this story at Motorsport:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/why-piastris-attempt-to-join-mclaren-carries-risky-implications/10351061/

Cols

goldtop said:

Meanwhile, Alpine's PR has done a great job ghost-writing this story at Motorsport:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/why-piastris-attempt-to-join-mclaren-carries-risky-implications/10351061/

From the website of Piastri’s management, with an absolutely straight face:

”Our approach to business is based on simple core values; integrity, honesty, loyalty, respect, responsibility and commitment.”

Priceless.

goldtop

^ Yup, it's just corporate BS. Same as you will find on Alpine/Renault/etc's websites.

It's silly season at the Piranha Club. If you haven't locked your talent into cast-iron contracts, then you've only got yourself to blame. I've ordered in the popcorn, and I'm hoping this isn't settled behind closed doors.

chillidoggy

Indeed, it's the only excitement we have at this point in time. Play on......

goldtop

The more I read articles wherein Alpine keep up on the "loyalty" and "how much we've invested in him" angle, the more I think they don't have a signed F1-enforceable contract. I think they have nothing more than a non-binding agreement in principle, which they are hoping might get them some of the $millions floating around in a settlement.

Here's another article: https://the-race.com/formula-1/alpine-willing-to-take-piastri-to-court-for-compensation/

I suppose I ought to seek out some Piastri racing footage to see what all the fuss is about...

stickyfiddle

I see Racefans is doing a mid-season top 20 drivers based on the first half of the year. What do we think? 

My guess

1 Verstappen - he's not put a single foot wrong
=2 Russell - likewise, just in a slower car
=2 Hamilton - see Russell. A couple of worse results but possibly due to setup fuckery so hard to separate them
4 - Leclerc - demon quick and hard overtaking but has made a couple of costly mistakes
5 - Norris - not a single foot wrong but not always maximising
6 - Alonso, I think. No mistakes and still phenomenal for forty-something
7 - Sainz. Great on his day but for that shitty run in the early races
8 - Perez I guess. Great on occasion, but still nowhere near Max like Bottas used to be with Ham
9 - Bottas - not amazing results but always seems to maximise the package and smash his teammate
10 - KMag- see Bottas


I can't quite be bothered with the bottom 10 but probably 

Ocon
Albon
Zhou
Ricc
Gasly
Schu
Vettel
Tsun
Stroll
Latifi, bless him

Boromedic

I'd agree with all that!

Cols

Seems about right.  Verstappen has driven a really good season so far, and seems to have much less inclination to drive others off the road.

I’d put Russell ahead of Hamilton at this point; George has largely had the measure of Lewis in qualifying, who’s been slightly flattered in the races by some fortunate safety car mixups.

Leclerc’s had a real pressure cooker of a season.  He’s lost a ton of points from poor strategy calls, lousy reliability and, unfortunately, his own errors.  It’s beginning to look like Vettel’s 2018 season, where Ferrari’s car advantage was squandered and their star driver crumbled under the pressure of the Tifosi’s expectations.  

In other news, Verstappen Senior has made his WRC debut at the Ypres Rally.  Surprising really; it’s an asphalt rally, I would’ve expected him to to have a natural affinity for gravel.  He certainly seemed to spend most of his time in it during his F1 career.

stickyfiddle

And Raikonen having fun in Nascar. I must admit I was confused when I clicked on the videos to see them at Watkins Glen and not on an oval?!

AND he said more in this 4 minute post-session interview than he did in your average F1 weekend

https://twitter.com/THProject91/status/1561052160472801281