Oscar Piastri's manager, Mark Webber claims that around 80% of the money spent in getting the youngster to F1 came from external sponsors and not Alpine.

From the outset of the tug-of-war with McLaren over the Australian's services for 2023, the French team has made much of its financial investment in the youngster, at one stage claiming that compensation would be due.

However, speaking on Channel 4, Webber insists that Alpine's investment has been wildly exaggerated.

"The numbers have been really ballooned out of proportion," said Webber. "The summer break has given people a chance to throw millions and millions and millions. It's certainly not that.

"The junior categories, Oscar got some good prize money for winning those championships as well, outside of Alpine's investment," he added.

"So over 80% of the budget was supplied by outside sponsors and Oscar's family for his junior career and the Academy, so it's also important to get some context there."

Alongside private tests at a number of circuits this year, Piastri is Alpine's reserve driver and as such is still working in the team's simulator at Enstone.

Originally scheduled to take part in the two mandatory FP1 outings for the French team, this may now be abandoned, team boss, Otmar Szafnauer having said last weekend that a decision on Piastri's immediate future will be taken this week.

"Next week there will be a discussion to be had, now that it's all out there," said Webber. "Obviously, the current has been underneath for a while that something was happening. But they knew that, absolutely crystal clear they knew that.

"So now we are at a point where we will have a chat. He has been working hard for this team, doing long hours. He has tried to contribute as much to Alpine as much as he can in terms of performance and doing as much as he can to help in the sim."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 08/09/2022 1:36

"Based on what facts?"

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2. Posted by Spindoctor, 07/09/2022 16:51

"Methinks the Aussie doth protest too much...."

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3. Posted by didaho, 07/09/2022 2:43

"Direct or Alpine coordinated sponsors of Piastri during his F2 or F3 seasons while he was an Academy driver got their pound of flesh then and it would have been well worth it for them. Their massive bonus is ongoing exposure any time those seasons are on a screen or in print.
Piastri's value to direct sponsors now will be higher with his raised profile - boosted massively as he'll be in a race suit and is currently more newsworthy than most of the top 10."

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4. Posted by ChickenFarmerF1, 06/09/2022 20:02

"@Roli - we don't, and can't know that sponsors paid specifically for him to be an Alpine driver, rather than just to become a driver. And even if that was their hope, if there was not an actual contract requiring that Piastri drive for Alpine for a minimum amount of time or owe the money back, there's nothing to stop Piastri from shifting teams. If those sponsors didn't make such a requirement then they weren't paying to develop an Alpine driver, they were paying to develop Piastri as a driver and deriving whatever specific benefit they got from him doing said development in the Alpine.

If, say, $10mil was spent (and that seems close to what Alpine is claiming) then $2mil was all that apparently came from Alpine. There might be a claim from Alpine to recover that from Piastri, but that depends entirely on the wording of the contract between them. Anything the sponsors paid of the remaining $8mil is between those sponsors and Piastri as to possible repayment and shouldn't involve Alpine in any way.

Ultimately, Piastri wants to drive in F1 and Alpine was dithering and not providing a contract. From earlier reports they (Piastri and his managers) informed Alpine in early July that he was going to drive for McLaren, not Alpine in 2023. The rest has all be drama that appears to be intended to make Piastri look unfairly bad. "

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5. Posted by Motorsport-fan, 06/09/2022 18:54

"Jackie and Ken a handshake would suffice, but in the modern era if its not in writing no longer is your word your bond."

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6. Posted by KKK, 06/09/2022 16:34

"Im afraid, Mark Webber, the sponsors who may have paid for Piastri to drive was to drive for Alpine, not anyone else. I wander how many of these "piddly" sponsors will back him now, as his word is not his bond. Not a smart move at all!"

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Alpine’s investment in Piastri exaggerated, says Webber

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