Formula One's summer break usually plays host to the beginning of 'Silly Season', and this year does not disappoint. After Sebastian Vettel announced his retirement from the sport at the end of this season during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, he kick started the driver market into full swing.
Although the top three teams of Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull had already confirmed their driver line-ups for the 2023 season and beyond, given that the majority of these drivers have multi-year contracts, there were still five seats yet to be confirmed.
Rumours around the Paddock were already in full swing regarding the McLaren line-up, despite both Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris being contractually obligated until the end of the 2023 season. Former Red Bull driver turned TV pundit, Mark Webber, has now taken on the role of driver manager for up and comer Oscar Piastri, who has allegedly been in talks with McLaren's Zak Brown for a potential drive next season.
Piastri has been tipped to be a future World Champion by many around the Paddock, which is unsurprising given his success in winning both the Formula 2 and Formula 3 Championships in 2020 and 2021 respectively. During this time, Piastri was signed to Alpine's driver academy (formally known as Renault), and was subsequently promoted to be their reserve driver.
Despite not having confirmed Fernando Alonso for the 2023 season, from the exterior Alpine and Alonso's relationship seemed content. However, after Vettel confirmed his retirement, Alonso moved swiftly to take the German's place at Aston Martin for the following season. This announcement was made public on the 1st August, a date which holds a lot of significance to this years silly season as we will later see. It should also be stated that the management at Alpine were allegedly not privy to Alonso's plans until they were made public.
Alpine subsequently announced their reserve driver Oscar Piastri as their driver alongside Esteban Ocon for the 2023 season. An announcement that many junior drivers would dream of, but not in this case. Piastri instead released his own statement just hours later saying: "I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year."
Whilst Alpine have yet to comment on Piastri's statement, it is understood that the Australian's contract was coming to an end rather swiftly. The option to renew the 21-year-olds contract had to be done so by the deadline of August 1st, the same day Fernando Alonso announced his move to Aston Martin.
In true Formula One fashion, the Whispers around the Paddock claim that Alonso knew about this deadline and therefore decided to announce his move knowing Piastri's contract would be null and void, essentially leaving Alpine driverless.
But Silly Season does not stop there, given that Piastri's statement refuting Alpine's confirmation of him driving for the French outfit for 2023 was so explicit, it suggests the Australian has signed elsewhere. And given that Alpine is a decent mid-fielding team, the only reason a driver would refuse to drive for them would be if they were going somewhere better. F1 Whispers suggests Piastri has signed with McLaren for the 2023 season.
Although Daniel Ricciardo is contracted in for the following season, an estimated healthy sum of around $26 million would be enough to buy the Australian out. However, whispers around McLaren suggest they will not be announcing Piastri as their driver until Ricciardo has located a drive for 2023. The 33-year-old has a few options at his fingertips not only in Formula One, but also on the American race circuit such as IndyCar.
There are still five vacant seats available at five various teams: Alfa Romeo, Alpine, Alpha Tauri, Haas and Williams.
The current drivers yet to sign are Mick Schumacher, Nicholas Latifi, Yuki Tsunoda and Zhou Guanyu.
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