Formula 1 is a busy and intense world. While so much interaction can be done online these days, real-world connections still count.
Young racing drivers usually catch the attention of those in the F1 paddock once they’re on the support bill, as few of those engaged in the exhaust grand prix grind have time to watch racing going on in different parts of the world at the same time. But there are some exceptions, and one is Mark Webber.The former Red Bull driver and World Endurance champion is no stranger to the British Formula 4 paddock, where Oscar Piastri raced in his first full year in single-seater cars. Webber also knew the Arden team that Piastri drove for well, as his protege Mitch Evans raced for Arden International in GP3 at a time when it competed under the Australian flag and used Webber’s initials in its team name.
Piastri stayed with Arden as he moved into European racing in the Formula Renault 2.0 category, finishing eighth in its Eurocup in 2018. For his rookie year in cars, Piastri was partnered with Pedro Matos who would go on to become a highly-rated engineer in junior single-seaters. The pair were reunited later in Piastri’s career.
Although Arden was not a competitive team that year, the fact that Piastri’s F4 rival Logan Sargeant almost scored twice as many points and fellow rookie Christian Lundgaard was unlucky not to win the title sapped a lot of the momentum Piastri had built with a brilliant British F4 campaign the year before. Their respective journeys up the single-seater ladder are each full of ‘what if?’ scenarios that could very easily have left them in the scenario Piastri is in today as he argues his F1 future.
But before he did, he spent a second year in the Eurocup, which for 2019 switched to Formula Regional cars while keeping its old name. Moving to the crack R-ace GP team put Piastri in a position to be a title contender from the off, and he made the most of it with seven wins.
For the final round at Yas Marina, Piastri was beaten to pole for the opening race by title rival Victor Martins. But a slow for Martins dropped him behind Piastri, who held the lead to the flag. Martins got to show his true pace in the title-deciding second race, as this time he started well and went on to take an utterly dominant win. Piastri finished in fourth, which was enough to be crowned champion.
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Had Martins not made a mistake with his getaway in race one, their careers could have followed different paths. The backing of the Renault F1 team for the next year was riding on the outcome of the championship, which meant Piastri was signed up while existing junior Martins was dropped (temporarily, as he earned a rare recall in 2021).
During the off-season, Piastri also picked up the backing of Webber who became his manager as he stepped up to the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema. Piastri spoke with Webber almost every day through the pandemic-interrupted 2020 season, and at the same time Webber began working his connections in the F1 world.
The perception of Piastri shifted up a notch, and his visibility too, now he was racing on the F1 support bill. At the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, F3 was the first race of the weekend, and the F1 world kept at close eye to assess any rustiness in race operations after half a year of inaction.
Piastri won, and for those who hadn’t heard of him before, the combination of being an F1 junior, being managed by one of the most respected F1 drivers of recent times and racing for a team which had run many of the recent Formula 2 and F3 champions instantly gave him future-star quality.
That’s not to say Piastri wasn’t a star before, but it demonstrated the power of perception as his stock rose as he led the championship through the first four rounds. His next win did not come until round six, and in nine attempts he was never able to qualify on the front row. But in the season finale he was crowned champion by three points ahead of Sauber starlet Theo Pourchaire and F3 sophomore Sargeant.
It was almost a self-fulfilling prophecy of being a Prema driver for Piastri. Drivers are expected to win with the team, such is its quality, but equally the team is only expected to sign the very best of drivers. It’s often a vote of confidence in a driver’s abilities if they are signed by Prema – that said, like any other team, it also needs drivers that bring budgets.
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Piastri had no immediate idea what his 2021 plans would be after winning F3, and said Webber’s “most important work” would be securing him an F2 seat. It was clear that the all-Aussie combination was taking the lead in determining Piastri’s future rather than Renault (which began transforming into Alpine). The combination of Webber’s influence and Piastri’s emergence into the F1 spotlight (primarily through F3 press conferences with relentless F1-focused questioning from many journalists) was turning the youngster into a far more assertive and outwardly confident character, which would become important later on.
Despite winning the F3 title, there were two areas of Piastri’s game which left room for some doubt over his potential. These were his one-lap pace and the sharpness of his racecraft, notwithstanding the limitations of F3 cars for racing. But in his sole F2 season he answered his critics and then some.
Remaining with Prema, and reunited with his F4 engineer Matos, Piastri went on a remarkable run of five consecutive poles and four consecutive feature race wins to become champion with two races to spare. But that dominant run came too late to strengthen his hand during F1’s silly season.
Piastri’s success invites comparisons with the likes of George Russell and Charles Leclerc, who like him won the F3 (previously GP3) and F2 championships back-to-back. They are the drivers that, while they were in F2, Mercedes and Ferrari respectively had decided to build their futures around.
While Leclerc got six F2 poles in a row, neither he nor Russell quite matched Piastri’s race form in their title-winning rookie F2 campaigns. It would make perfect sense for a team like McLaren to pursue a driver capable of that while one of its own drivers is underperforming and seemingly nobody else, as of just over a week ago, was jumping to give Piastri an F1 drive.
Before Esteban Ocon secured his long-term deal with Alpine, announced in June last year, Piastri matter-of-factly said “it changes nothing” when asked about his future if Ocon were to get the deal. Piastri said he would to “let my management and Alpine sort out if they want to give me an F1 seat”.
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He also remarked about how he didn’t want Webber holding his hand in F2, leaving him to focus on the next step of his career in his pandemic-enforced F1 paddock bubble. In 2021, for the second year in a row, Piastri began the year with a lengthy quarantine period as he came from Australia to Europe. That alone time would surely have impacted his mindset. Significantly, rather than live in Italy close to his F2 team, he moved in near Alpine’s Enstone headquarters.
After Ocon was confirmed at Alpine, Piastri started sounding even more self-confident as he talked up his own performances when on top in F2, and was inevitably often asked about his F1 prospects. Quite a few of his answers after poles or wins were along these lines:
“It’s a bit disappointing the way it’s kind of played out, because I really don’t know what more I could have done. And today was quite nice to make a statement I’m still here.”
Piastri’s card was gradually slipping off Alpine’s table despite him becoming the most obvious F1 prospect in junior single-seaters. The French brand’s strategy in Australia was in disarray and therefore as a driver who wasn’t going to bring budget to an F1 seat he was of limited commercial value in marketing as much as in team financing.
What’s more, if Zhou Guanyu hadn’t left Alpine for Alfa Romeo this year then there wouldn’t have been a reserve driver position for Piastri to slot into at the team. So Piastri’s statement performances were for the attention of more than just Alpine through 2021.
His increasing confidence is most evident in his counter-statement after Alpine announced him as one of its race drivers for 2023. It’s not only that he has confidence in the fact Webber has indeed found him a seat elsewhere, but also the self-worth and bravado to outright deny Alpine in the public sphere and in such a way where he did not just say that its announcement was wrong but also ending his statement with “I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”
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Racing for Alpine could be an outcome at the end of this perplexing contract situation and not a door that should be closed, but Piastri was willing enough to slam it shut. It’s a comment and move that might bite back if he ends up having to spend a second season on F1’s sidelines, but also it showed the kind of qualities that a driver with far more ‘industry clout’ would possess. You can’t imagine Yuki Tsunoda, for example, doing a take-down of his employer, but his race-winning AlphaTauri team mate Pierre Gasly has a comfortable enough position to be openly critical of Red Bull or to determine his own future away from them in such a brazen way.
Piastri’s decision was a shock to the team. It was somewhat ruthless as clearly he did not communicate with Alpine on the matter prior, and that makes it almost comparable to Fernando Alonso’s own exit from Alpine. For those who say Piastri is a future world champion, was acting like Alonso what they meant? That kind of character trait can ensure you survive a long time in F1, or it can burn bridges before the new ones can be fully built.
The word is that the bridge at McLaren, as in the contract that intends to bring Piastri to the team, is already watertight and ready for him to cross. But Alpine believes its contract is valid too, and has said its keeping its bridge open should Piastri need to drive back across. Whether they’re actually prepared to do that – team principal Otmar Szafnauer this week fumed in the Spanish press about Piastri’s lack of “loyalty” – is another matter.
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2022 F1 season
- Mercedes told me “you’re wrong” about 2022 car’s problems – Hamilton
- FIA confirms all 10 F1 teams complied with 2022 cost cap
- Steiner “not ashamed” of panning “slow” Schumacher in Drive to Survive
- Albon believes year out of F1 improved him as a driver
- Hamilton sees diversity gains in F1 years on from his ‘traumatising’ experience of racism
JohnH (@johnrkh)
10th August 2022, 12:28
Szafnauers reaction to me seems like a person who is angry at a loss, not someone confident in winning or in possession of a solid watertight contract.
kpcart
10th August 2022, 13:04
He is new to the team. Higher up will be mad
Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
10th August 2022, 12:36
Let’s remember that it was Alpine that said ‘no’ to putting Oscar in a car this year, and again ‘no’ to putting Oscar in their car in 2023, at least when they still believed they had Fernando as an option.
kpcart
10th August 2022, 13:04
so what? that was all part of Oscar’s contract
jff
10th August 2022, 14:05
The ‘so what’ is that it probably explains why Piastri went for greener pastures; especially if his current contract allowed him to explore those options.
Based on Szafnauer’s reaction so far I’m not so sure that Alpine’s contract is airtight.
Red Pill (@redpill)
11th August 2022, 18:00
@proesterchen Contractually they couldn’t put Piastri in a car; Alpine didn’t really have choices other than removing Alonso (WDC) for Piastri and that didn’t make any sense.
Alpine for sure screwed up at historic levels but it really started when they signed Ocon to a four year contract. There hands were tied with the Ocon’s contract in place. That set the balling rolling, along with Alonso playing prima donna games and woefully awful contractual skills by Alpine with Piastri.
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
10th August 2022, 12:47
Alpine have only got themselves to blame.
They fumbled the Alonso scenario and then completely messed-up the Piastri announcement.
Delphi
11th August 2022, 3:12
Exacerbated by Ocon’s early, long term extension – surely a directive from the owner (‘s domestic marketing dept.) rather than Esteban being in demand elsewhere.
Mayrton
13th August 2022, 9:58
It sure seems a DNA problem of Renault/Alpine. That’s why I was 100% sure they wouldn’t come out on top after the regulation change this year. As in the past the ego and chauvinism of this team obstructs their business objectives and clear view on what is needed. It’s a Ferrari-esque situation (albeit Ferrari of a different nature) that doesn’t let reflection nor common sense in anymore.
kpcart
10th August 2022, 13:13
Piastri at Mclaren will get utterly dominated by Norris, and will fizzle out faster than Mick Schumacher. Going up vs Ocon would have been a safer choice for him. Piastri might end up with no race seat next year still if Ricciardo decides to stay put at Mclaren, which i think is Ricciardo’s best choice. Going back to Alpine will be the end of Ricciardo’s career. I think Piastri made a mistake having Mark Webber as his manager and might have made a fatal mistake to his career. Piastri, an unknown quantity in an F1 car did not deserve a race seat next year over Ocon or Alonso who are both driving quite well and doesnt deserve a seat at Mclaren – Mclaren would be better to sign their Indycar young star as a rookie.
MacLeod (@macleod)
10th August 2022, 13:21
He selected the bigger team not the faster team. I hope he can make it compaired with Max he started in a small team with a rookie teammate which is much easier. But we don’t know if he drives next year but if he does it will be McLaren.
Mark is an nononse person with direct channels but your right Lando is a very skilled and fast driver if he doesn’t overdrive himself i think he will make it.
Jeanrien (@jeanrien)
10th August 2022, 15:01
There are few ways to look at it. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard any drivers coming in F1 saying “I’m not that good so I’ll just settle for a lesser/smaller team at the moment”. Drivers ending up in F1 are usually hungry, listening to Pastor Maldonado and he was the next big thing… Drivers will always take the best opportunity possible.
In addition, everyone now considers Norris as a very capable driver. Better to be beaten by Norris than by Occon going by that metric. And when a driver has a solid case for himself, it must be frustrating to be sidelined and be the spare without prospect of that changing.
The only surprise for me what how quick he was in denying Alpine statement, it would not cost him anything to wait before denying. He must have been very sure about his own case to act in that way. This plus Szafnauers reaction as @johnrkh mentions above points toward a not so solid case for Alpine that assumes things outside of the ink on the paper. Probably that Piastri at that point had made his mind (and probably already signed).
Bit messy but as long as Piastri has his drive secure, I see only Alpine to blame themselves on this.
Whether or not Piastri made the right choice, and Alonso for that matter, we will only know in next seasons. Btw, Piastri’s decision might have been made before Alonso in which case, he secured one of the conveyed F1 seat which is more than many other aspiring drivers.
Darryn Smith (@darryn)
10th August 2022, 18:14
To be fair to Schumacher there was never really any talent to fizzle out. Dudes in F1 for 1 reason.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
10th August 2022, 19:29
Isn’t that a bit too soon to say? He’s improving.
frood19 (@frood19)
11th August 2022, 6:29
He’s had 30+ races to convince and apart from one or two he hasn’t really looked like he really belongs at the highest level. His junior career suggested he needed all the help going to get anywhere. When he started, I remember thinking if he can have a Ralf Schumacher-type career he will have done well. I’d be surprised if he even has that level of success.
Red Pill (@redpill)
11th August 2022, 18:07
@frood19 30+ races in a flawed and error prone car, so not exactly a good base to improve and learn on. If he was driving at a different team with a decent car and not showing signs of scoring well; then yeah.
José Lopes da Silva
10th August 2022, 23:57
If Piastri is that bad as you imagine he is, he’ll get to nowhere eventually.
But yeah, some people apparently still don’t see the F2 winner as meriting the promotion just because he was the F2 winner.
Mayrton
13th August 2022, 10:04
I am in favour of making this a yearly mandatory promotion, just as I feel some of the current F1 drivers should get a mandatory demotion. We are stuck with this soap of mediocre drivers for way too long. Better circulation of talent is of the essence. The quality of what is displayed every weekend is poor.
Dan
11th August 2022, 1:09
I think you are jumping to a lot of conclusions.
It’s too early to tell how good PIA is. For all we know he may have HAM’s or ALO’s talent and we will see another 2007 scenario.
NOR hasn’t had a challenging teammate yet – we will see how he handles pressure if PIA is competitive with him.
In any case, the pressure will be on NOR next year – expectations for PIA will be to hopefully do better than Dan.
Zann (@zann)
10th August 2022, 13:35
Well this is what happens when you behave how the journos don’t like! They head an article with your smuggest look and subtly downplay your awesomeness, while talking about ‘bravado’…
SjaakFoo (@sjaakfoo)
10th August 2022, 13:52
I mean, he didn’t say “no” to Alpine, far as I can gather. The team never actually asked him for the drive. They just assumed they could tell him he was driving for them, without checking their contract.
There’s a weird sentiment shift that happens in sports, where it’s no longer treated like a business. Which it is. And the way I see it, business doesn’t have emotions attached to it. It’s a transaction. You sell your skills and your time to a company under set conditions, conditions that are documented in a written contract, signed and delivered. You do not owe anything beyond the contract to the corporation that employs you, and vice versa does the company not owe you anything beyond what is promised in the contract.
In this case, there’s a disagreement on what the contract says, which is not uncommon in business, and at the end of the day, it will be resolved by a third party. That should be the end of that. That Otmar is going around speaking about “loyalty” and having his accountants check how much his employed “is owed” by the evil young talent that chose a race seat over a “please drive the simulator while we wait for Fernando to sign another contract with us” is dubious at best, and he’d do better to just be quiet and let the CBR resolve the issue.
Piastri’s tweet is being emphasised too much, he’s obviously not signed a race contract with Alpine in his mind and was blindsided by a press release that happened without his knowledge and consent, and he needed to make a firm statement to that regard. Again, that sounds like business to me. Whether Alpine or Piastri’s side is found to be correct doesn’t ultimately matter.
In another related matter, junior programmes seem more designed as a way to make sure young talent is tied to your team at a young age so you don’t have to have a bidding war to get them into Formula 1 for your team, rather than an investment into the talent. It’s relatively cheap to the teams, and it ensures (if you know how to write a contract properly, at least) the young talent cannot look elsewhere until they sit out their contract. Red Bull seems to have got a good handle on this, where young drivers have to complete a lot of seasons before they can look elsewhere.
José Lopes da Silva
11th August 2022, 0:02
+1
@HoHum (@hohum)
11th August 2022, 4:33
@sjaakfoo, Very well reasoned. However I suspect the phone’s of Webber and Piastri were very busy before Piastri posted his tweet.
moblet (@moblet)
11th August 2022, 21:44
Business, no matter what the industry, definitely can have emotions attached to it. Like sport it can be a competition, like racing drivers there are people with ego, singular focus and commitment wanting to climb to the top, and lots of people care about money and status. Alpine right now is showing normal signs of bruised egos, embarrassment, and management copping flak from higher up.
Claus J
10th August 2022, 14:53
Since Renault bought Lotus, they’ve been less than “loyal” to their drivers.
Kmag left because he couldn’t get any more than one year and bailed, Palmer was unceremoniously sacked mid-season, The Hulk could only have one year and bailed, Sainz bailed and lately Nando could only have one year – and bailed – as well. I’m not sure why Daniel jumped ship; but doubt it was just the machinery. Abiteboul was a disaster – they should have gone for Vasseur in stead…
Jere (@jerejj)
10th August 2022, 16:21
@Claus J Hulk didn’t bail but rather got sacked for Ocon & Sainz for RIC.
Vasseur was already in the team until he left for Team Hinwill, so perhaps they should’ve attempted to keep him at the time.
Claus J
12th August 2022, 12:08
According to Prost (https://www.planetf1.com/news/renault-nico-hulkenberg-one-year-deal/), he was offered a one-year, but he chose not to because he wanted two years… Could be Hulk’s way of softening a sacking, of cause, but it’s news to me. Where did you hear he was sacked?
Yup, Vasseur was there. They shouldn’t have let him sail away – which he did because he disagreed (often publicly and almost always for good reasons) with Abitebould over all sorts of subjects. Wasteful…
Claus J
12th August 2022, 13:23
I’ve tried posting a link to a competing f1 news sites article, where Prost explain how Renault was offering one year and an option; but Hulk declined as he wanted two years. It doesn’t pass moderation, however, so you’ll have to take my word for it :o)
Yes, I very much agree, they should at the very least have attempted to keep Vasseur as race director, despite his disagreements with Abiteboul. Or possibly because of them :o) There’s been a flow of drivers, almost the entire earodynamics department, Bob Bell, Taffin and Nick Chester (just to name some of the well know techies) has been through the doors. Loyalty is a two-way street, especially when you openly proclaim drivers to be temporary and just until the car gets good and they’ll be replaced by better or at least french drivers…
park
11th August 2022, 4:48
Vasseur was indeed the first one who left the new Renault
Wheel Nut (@wheel-nut)
10th August 2022, 17:23
I suspect Alpine’s option on Piastri ran out wholly or in part on July 31. Webber asked his friend Alonso to hold off until Aug1 so that Alpine didn’t have a chance to use the option on Piastri. As well as saving face, Alpine’s rushed move was a bad attempt at getting Piastri to sign when they didn’t actually have any leverage any more.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
10th August 2022, 22:38
Ahh, so in that case it’s not true that alpine pushed alonso out, I’ve read many comments saying that before.
MB (@muralibhats)
10th August 2022, 18:14
He has Alonso-ed his career at the very beginning. Burning up bridges
Darryn Smith (@darryn)
10th August 2022, 18:18
Not really. Even Ron took Alonso back. If has “it” burned bridges mean nothing.
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
10th August 2022, 19:24
@darryn Alonso did burn his bridges with Honda though. And likely lost a chance to win the Indy 500 as a result.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
10th August 2022, 22:39
And hence the triple crown, as he only missed that.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
10th August 2022, 22:39
But to be honest the mclaren honda alonso drove was bad enough to make his comments warranted.
MacLeod (@macleod)
11th August 2022, 7:57
And was passed by Red Bull because Honda didn’t want him…..
BlueChris (@bluechris)
10th August 2022, 18:47
When a team invests millions on you and you behave like this, it’s no good imo for his personality.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
10th August 2022, 21:57
I recall Christian Horner saying that if a driver doesn’t want to drive for you then you are better off letting them go than to expect them to drive a car at the edge of its performance window. On that basis Otmar is better off letting Oscar go than to try and enforce the contract (penalty clauses aside).
I really hope Oscar has been following wise advice because a lot of people have invested a lot of time and money to get him to a place where he can have a career as an F1 driver, and from a distance it looks to me as though his actions could be detrimental to his career.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
10th August 2022, 22:41
Even though, what if alpine force piastri to drive and he drives badly cause of not wanting to be there, will someone pick him up? Don’t think it’s good for his career to underperform, even if the team forces him to drive.
José Lopes da Silva
11th August 2022, 0:19
Sjaakfoo summarised it and Wheel Nut pointed what eventually happened behind doors.
Talk about “burning bridges” is misplaced. No one remember Schumacher burning bridges with Jordan or Senna burning bridges with Toleman (even getting a race suspension). If you’re good, you’ll get to the top.
The main bridge that Alonso burnt was not Honda, but Mercedes in 2007. But that was really burning bridges, a serious breaking of confidence. Piastri is just taking care of himself. Any company can look at Piastri’s position and understand that the hottest F1 prospect was risking getting a second season in the sidelines just because yeah.
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
11th August 2022, 4:55
chimaera2003 (@chimaera2003)
11th August 2022, 7:28
Unless Piastri has actually signed a contract with McLaren surely the best approach would have been to take rhe Alpine drive and say thanks but no thanks to McLaren. There is no certainty that McLaren will be significantly faster than Alpine so I can’t see the value in agitating so aggressively for a move.
He is acting like a driver with the status of someone like Sergio Perez (10+ years experience, 200GPs, victories and podiums) who would be able to justify this type of approach. He however would be an F1 rookie who to me should be grateful for the opportunity presented to him by a strong midfield F1 team, not thinking he has the clout to be picky.
José Lopes da Silva
11th August 2022, 21:37
With all due respect, yours is the typical analysis of mixing a fan’s personal personality appreciation with the business facts in which professional sports works.
You start by saying “Unless Piastri has actually signed a contract with McLaren”. Why do you think he does NOT have a contract with another team to drive in 2023?
“I can’t see the value in agitating so aggressively for a move.” He is waiting for a seat and risked waiting for a seat for a second season. Until a few days ago Alpine was counting on Alonso and Ocon. How can’t you see the value?
Above all, what does annoy you in Piastri’s move, which is perfectly wise and sensible from his point of view?
chimaera2003 (@chimaera2003)
11th August 2022, 23:12
If he was truly ruthless and took a business like approach he would have ripped up any contracts or verbal agreements and signed straight on the dotted line for Alpine. If he had signed with McLaren and was business like then he should publicly tell them they have 1 week to sack Ricciardo or he goes back to Alpine.
The whole saga is messed up as he is effectively ditching a team that is invested in him and has a better chance of giving him a long term contract with greater tolerance for rookie indiscretions for another team that is not guaranteed to offer a faster car and would toss him out if he didn’t perform. If they can toss out a multiple race-winner who has won for them then they will do the same to him. All with the added bonus of looking stupid.
If he was a Williams driver and a chancee at a Mercedes seat was available then I can see value in his agitation, just not for a team with more similar performance.
I have no issue searching for other opportunities on the grid as you are right that Alpine looked like a no-go. I have an issue with him not taking the Alpine seat and just ditching any other contract (whomever that may be) unless they immediately annocument him to secure his drive.
José Lopes da Silva
13th August 2022, 9:07
“greater tolerance for rookie indiscretions”
This is Formula One. There are 20 seats and, almost every year, around 17 to 19 F1 drivers.
You only get tolerance for indiscretions for 2 reasons:
– you’re bloody quick and there’s hope you’ll get consistent
– you’re paying for the seat.
I don’t understand the modern trend to consider that Red Bull is a cut-throat environment killing rookie drivers while Lance Stroll is a guy who deserves is seat on merit. It’s a distorted view of merit. It places things where they always have been: people end up empathising with the father and son relationship.
I’m all for empathy, social protection and the given word. But the top echelon of motorsport doesn’t need to work that way. It doesn’t work that way up the ladder to get there, when it should. I see drivers muscle their way up to the Top and then, somehow, people say they need “protection” and “understanding”. That’s why I refuse to consider Stroll as an F1 driver. He’s the owner of the seat and he got team mates lifting for him ni F3. That’s why Red Bull has been the best F1 house in bringing new talent without requiring money from them. Red Bull does not kill careers, they PROVIDE f1 careers. And their careers are not killed. They move on to drive for a living. Only lack of talent (speed and consistency) kills an F1 career.
Who else would give Brendon Hartley a shot in Formula 1?
If Piastry is not quick, he’ll get kicked regardless of the team he is in. If Piastri is quick, he’ll get success regardless of where he is. Is he getting a seat in F1 through the same guy who brought Schumacher out of Jordan? I don’t like the man, but that’s literally F1 history.
A F1 team that has a golden talent most promote him to where he belongs, otherwise the competition will get him. It’s the top echelon. Simple as this.
By the way, F1 needs WAY more seats, we should focus on that.
Nuno Moreira
11th August 2022, 15:35
Does not matter who he is. What matters is what he said. NO!
MPH
11th August 2022, 19:57
Ricciardo’s recent moves should be a
lesson to Oscar, the grass is not always greener. I hope he is making the right decision.