This time it went faster than ever, and most likely it’s already weirder than ever. Already on Monday, the first day after the last race, in the first hours of the summer break, the so-called “Silly Season” of Formula 1 got going. The English term is the affectionate and mocking paraphrase for the race-free time. In this short phase, the big cockpit back begins every year – and often causes wild rumors. This year is so crazy that the term “silly” is to be taken literally.
Big names are involved. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel stops at Aston Martin, puts an end to the frenzy. As a result, the two-time world champion Fernando Alonso surprisingly throws down at Alpine and receives Vettel’s cockpit. Vettel’s green car does not go to Mick Schumacher, the son of record world champion Michael, for whom Vettel had submitted an application to Aston Martin’s team boss Lawrence Stroll. But at the secret center of all these transfer games there is no big name, but one that very few outside of the racing world have ever heard of. In Formula 1 there is a great deal of scrambling for the Australian Oscar Piastri.
The 21-year-old, who was born in Melbourne, is celebrated among all the talented young drivers of recent years, even by sober scene connoisseurs. When Mick Schumacher was promoted to Formula 1 last year, Piastri got his cockpit in the Prema team. In it, he not only became champion of Formula 2 right away, for which Schumacher had needed a year’s start-up. Piastri had already become champion at the first attempt in the previous Formula 3 series. Only two pilots had ever managed something like this before: Charles Leclerc, who is currently living through a passion story at Scuderia Ferrari. And the talented Brit George Russell, who clinched his first pole position in Formula 1 in a reinvigorated Mercedes on Saturday in Hungary.
On Tuesday, Oscar Piastri received an offer from his racing team Alpine, which has been supporting him with a lot of money since his season in Formula 3. An offer to which most of his racing comrades would say: “Oh, yes, Thank you! I’m overwhelmed! A dream come true. Never in my life will I forget who gave me the chance to follow my destiny. And here and now, on my knees, I’m praying to the almighty Butt Eater that I’ll find that in me I will never betray the trust placed in me…”
However, Oscar Piastri said on Twitter on Tuesday evening: Nothing there. I didn’t sign for that nonsense!
Old fox: Fernando Alonso, 41, (right) immediately recognized the charm of the cockpit that Sebastian Vettel (left) left behind at Aston Martin – and thus plunged his Alpine team into a personnel crisis.
(Photo: Zak Mauger/Imago)
Piastri is employed by Alpine this year as a reserve driver. The regulations stipulate that the Formula 2 world champion must leave the junior series. After Piastri’s title win last year, however, there was no free cockpit in Formula 1. But after Alonso’s jump, it will be. In this respect, Alpine was probably confident that Piastri would accept his offer. In the afternoon, the team rejoiced in a press release.
“Oscar”, as it was said, was a “radiant and rare talent,” said Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer. They are very happy that he will be driving alongside Esteban Ocon next season.
However, if you then read the following lines and also noticed that the enthusiastically celebrated Oscar did not have a say, you could be suspicious. The lines went: “We are proud to have nurtured and supported him through the difficult paths of the junior series. Working together over the last four years we have seen him develop into a driver who is more than capable to take the step into Formula 1.”
Piastri’s cancellation hits a team that is already in a sloping position
For a team already assured of a quick Oscar, that sounded like a surprising amount of self-praise and preparing to call in a favor. In the evening, Piastri replied in a sober tone on Twitter: “Alpine F1 published a press release without my consent in the late afternoon, according to which I will drive for them next year. That is wrong, I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023.” And then he dropped the hammer: “I’m not going to ride for Alpine next year.”
Now Piastri’s cancellation hits a team that is already in a sloping position. When team boss Szafnauer had his motorhome packed up at the Hungaroring on Sunday, he did so in the belief that he was about to extend his contract with Alonso. Because his teammate Esteban Ocon still has a contract until the end of 2024, Szafnauer apparently wanted to try to temporarily place Piastri with Williams. As a reminder, Williams is lame though. But at least the team that was not too bad for the demonstrably talented George Russell as a driving school before he switched to the Mercedes.
He already knows a little about trophies: last year Oscar Piastri was honored as champion of the Formula 2 junior series and also as “Rookie of the year”.
(Photo: Frédéric Le Floc’h/Imago)
Alonso’s surprising escape from Alpine to Aston Martin on Monday then caught Szafnauer as surprisingly as a flat tire on the lap after a tire change. Aston Martin had reportedly lured the proud Spaniard with the prospect of a multi-year contract, which they did not want to give up to a now 41-year-old without grumbling at Alpine. If Alpine were to lose his quick Oscar as well, that would not only be tragic in terms of sport, but also a bit embarrassing.
Because the prospect of the Williams subclass car didn’t give the self-confident Piastri goosebumps, he is said to have preferred to feel whether he could have a chance of slipping into McLaren immediately – a supplier of upper mid-range cars in Formula 1. The British racing team from Woking leaves Piastri’s compatriot Daniel Ricciardo regularly demonstrates himself from 22-year-old teammate Lando Norris.
Piastri may have several options – Mick Schumacher currently only one
Ricciardo still has a contract with McLaren until the end of 2023. But what does that mean? Finally, according to Szafnauer told the BBC, Piastri also has a written agreement with Alpine. This contract is valid for the 2023 season and, if an option is exercised, also for 2024. Of course, Szafnauer did not reveal what is in the small print, whether there are loopholes. However, he admitted that he is currently struggling to reach Piastri’s manager Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel’s former team-mate: “Oscar and his people are currently evaluating their options, whatever that means,” Szafnauer told the BBC.
Above all, that may mean that young drivers who have options that promise a future in Formula 1 are happy. Mick Schumacher, who, in contrast to Piastri, has already competed in Formula 1 races, now only has the chance of extending his contract with his Haas team. On the other hand: the silly season has only just begun.