F1 2022 thread - see post 1 for rules

Get on the phone to Mick Schumacher? For what, to ask him can he do a good fry? He's been well and truly floored by a mediocre, out of shape Kevin Magnussen. He has done nothing to warrant even staying on the grid past his current contract. I'm afraid he's an average driver that fans are hoping turns into something great like his father but its not gonna happen.

Total clown show today from all involved!

Im actually completely shocked that Piastri would forcefully turn down a seat in F1. I get that his preference is McLaren but his contract is with Alpine, and there’s very little between those 2 right now, both middle tier teams looking to push on. Would have thought a driver would happily take a seat and if he wants to let his contract run out then go for it.

Yes, Webber is Piastri's manager.

That option ran out on 31st July it seems

Albon will be staying at williams by all accounts.

Is that Ryanair taking the piss?

I think Mark Webber must know something we do not. Maybe he was talking to Daniel and knows Daniel has been back in contact with Alpine and will potentially get that seat. He might have said hey you could go back to Alpine where you were happier and Piestri could replace you. Everyone is happy then.

I am sure we will all find out in time.

If Piastri does not get a seat in F1 then he has no one to blame but himself and maybe his manager.

But him threatening Ron Dennis to rat the team out to the FIA was a dumbass move and possibly cost him drives at RBR and Merc many years later. So what if Lewis screwed him over earlier in qualifying - you don't go threatening the team. I barely remember his Ferrari years tbh other than "Fernando is faster than you" and the fact he couldn't manage to overtake Petrov for god knows how many laps which cost him a 3rd title.

Anyway, not telling your current team you plan to leave and letting them find out via the AM announcement is a dick move imo.

Yes I agree that was a bad thing for him to do.

Alonso does not do himself any favours at times.

Saw an interesting theory over on reddit:

I see only one explanation.

Piastri has already signed elsewhere on the promise of being able to land a far better seat than Alpine. 

A guaranteed F1 seat with a direct path to a top team seat. If not immediately, but in a few years time.

There’s no way he’d risk burning bridges at Alpine for anything less than the allure of a top team seat.

Neither Alpine, nor McLaren can make that offer.

Not even Ferrari and Mercedes can.

The first two aren’t top teams, but firmly entrenched in the midfield. The latter have no room to place Piastri.

The only organization who can offer him both a guaranteed seat and a promise for a direct path towards a top team, is Red Bull.

Red Bull sign their drivers to the parent organization, rather than either of the 2 teams, allowing them to withdraw or reshuffle appointments as they see fit (except for Verstappen at this point in time).

Red Bull can easily bench either Gasly or Tsunoda to make room for Piastri. They could place Tsunoda/Gasly at Honda’s Super Formula team. Gasly could even be released to pursue the now vacant Alpine seat.

So Oscar could sign with Red Bull, get a seat at Alpha Tauri, with a view to getting into current championship contender Red Bull. That might be enough of a draw for Piastri, allowing him to be confident enough to publicly burn the bridges between him and Alpine.

An Alpha Tauri seat seems the most logical possibility all in all.

Former Red Bull F1 and Porsche WEC driver Mark Webber, Piastri’s current manager, is also an important part in this equation.

Webber still has good contacts within Red Bull and Porsche. Despite their differences in 2010 ~ 2013, Webber and Marko currently see eye to eye. I believe it was even Marko who helped Webber get the Porsche WEC drive post F1, using his own Porsche contacts. Marko won Le Mans in 1971 with the record setting 917, whilst being a Porsche factory driver.

Both Red Bull and Porsche might see promise in Piastri for 2026 and beyond, to possibly put him next to Verstappen, when Porsche is set to join forces with Red Bull, taking a 50% stake in its F1 activities.

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This might sound implausible to some, but if this pans out, it will simply be history repeating itself.

This happened earlier in 2014, when Marko was able to snatch away Verstappen from Mercedes by promising a Toro Rosso seat for 2015.

It's just that everyone seems to think it will be McLaren - there would surely be a leak from there saying they've nothing to do with Piastri if that was the case.

You have to ask what's wrong with Alpine. Alonso running away to the second last team in constructors, Budowski leaving, Piastri fighting to not drive there.

They wouldn't offer him a two year contract

The problem with Aston Martin is Stroll and Stroll. Too much of a family affair to build a top team. They are never going to have a huge fan base or following either.

Albon taking the absolute p*ss! Ya gotta love it 😂😂😂

So that's presumably the 2 Williams' seats gone for next year?

With the money Latifi's parents are contributing he's surely safe enough despite his performances.