06/09/2022
NEWS STORY
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."