Webber recounts the affair Alpine/Piastri internally

At the heart of the off-season storm, the one who asked for nothing: Oscar piastri. The Australian will make his debut in Formula 1 in McLaren next season. And if all the spotlights were already on him, the driver belonging to the very closed circle of those having consecutively won the championships of F3 and F3 in their rookie years, the pressure intensified. The case Alpine/Piastri saw the French team lose the nugget of its academy. A shipwreck among the blue-white-red, but what about the Australian clan? His manager, Mark Webber, describes to Speedcafe a pilot " actually quite relaxed ».

« Of course, he was showing as much loyalty as was possible under the circumstances, because he was waiting for answers, says the former Formula 1 driver. He was one of the most loyal characters in this situation. » A difficult situation, decided by the contract recognition council. McLaren 1, Alpine 0. And since there is not only a driver's career at stake in his move to the premier category, the atmosphere was electric around Piastri: “ All the shareholders and people who have been around him since he was eight years old were certainly much less patienthe observes. But Oscar was keen to remain as loyal as possible, which was sometimes difficult without knowing what the future would hold. »

But then, how was this link made with the papaya stable for the one to whom the seat of theAlpine was almost offered? “ McLaren has expressed a desire for change, whether it involves Oscar or someone else. That's what mattered to them, and we could have had no Australians on the grid next season. Who knows ? » The 21-year-old driver was in the right place at the right time. So, the exit door offered by the Woking franchise was illustrated as a “ great opportunity for Oscar ": " He was aware that this meant replacing Daniel Ricciardo, he knew it », continues the manager. Another Australian was thus collateral damage, fired after a disappointing 2022 campaign.

Between Ricciardo and Piastri, the positions are now reversed. The first one finds the combination Red Bull as reserve driver, a position occupied by the second in the French team last year. Restricted to remaining within the confines of the paddock, Piastri had already proven himself in promotional formulas. But the wait is over for a Piastri hungry for battles on the track. “ He knew he could ride this year. That's what mattered to him. He had done a few days of testing, but a driver has to ride, and this situation really hurt him... », Reports his manager. “ McLaren wanted it. That’s the first thing, that’s what makes a big difference. » 

If the arrival in Formula 1 could have been smoother, Webber sums up the situation like this: “ It's important to be desired. »

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