Has Flavio Briatore played a role in the Oscar Piastri/Alpine/McLaren saga? 🤔 F1
After Alpine named their academy prospect Piastri as replacement for Aston Martin-bound Fernando Alonso, the 21-year-old quickly shot down that announcement by dismissing it as “wrong” and insisting he would not be driving for the team next year.
Although Mark Webber was reported to be at the forefront of the Piastri-McLaren links, F1 pundit Danner thinks another big name may be playing a role – that of Briatore, who has also had a big part in Alonso’s career.“It’s classic Flavio. There’s certainly a contract for Piastri that Flavio has skimmed over – very much in the mind of the manager, Mark Webber. There was definitely a clause.”
However, French website Auto Hebdo are reporting that F1’s Contract Recognition Board have found there are, one each with Alpine and McLaren, and that a court case is looming. “When he believes in someone, he has the foresight to plan in a positive sense – and not just ruthlessly, which is logically the case in this business,” said Danner.