The summer break continues but the driver market in Formula 1 is increasingly in turmoil. The farewell of sebastian vettel, announced at the gates of the last race weekend in Hungary before the stop, it triggered the first action-reaction of the market. The seat occupied by Sebastian Vettel was promptly assigned to another name of experience, that of the two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, looking for a biennial that Alpine could not have offered him.
Among the reasons that led the team and the driver towards two opposing paths was the need of the Alpine not to keep the new star of the French team on the bench for too long: Oscar Piastri. With Alonso's farewell, the market plot would have suggested a passing of the baton with Piastri, but from France there are rumors that open another scenario, even more intriguing.
A possible return?
The contenders, for what would have seemed a rather easy candidacy with Piastri in pole position in the negotiations, would actually be two. A not impossible scenario given that Piastri's announcement should have come almost in chain with that of Alonso. A bit like what happened with Bottas and Russell. But everything is silent, which suggests a negotiation not yet concluded, and that the team is still evaluating which driver to focus on. The second name besides that of Piastri is not that of another young talent, but of a experienced pilot, who knows the team well and would be ready to return if he is removed from the team he belongs to: or the McLaren.
Exchange Ricciardo - Piastri?
According to a report from the French AutoTrader, Alpine could make a surprise move, focusing on the former Red Bull and Renault driver, who later went to McLaren: Daniel Ricciardo. Despite the constant denials about his departure from McLaren, and a contract still valid for 2023, doubts about Daniel's future remain, due to his disappointing results. Furthermore, should McLaren really intend to hire the young talent Oscar Piastri, they would also have an "excuse" to offload him to Alpine, which would represent the only alternative for Daniel, who would like to stay in Formula 1. Alonso's farewell has put Alpine in a complicated situation. first the team looked for a foothold on the Williams, in order not to leave Piastri on the bench for another year. But he also turned to McLaren, which has optioned the young talent from Melbourne as a reserve driver to replace Norris or Ricciardo in 2022, should the need arise.
A scenario that is not so obvious
McLaren's interest in Piastri would seem to grow, furthermore according to what was reported by numerous Anglo-Saxon media, Piastri would have signed with his manager Mark Webber a pre-contract that would tie him to McLaren. The scenario may therefore not be so obvious and during the break there may be other news, with an Alpine in clear difficulty, without Piastri or Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo as the only alternative.
Source: FormulaPassion
