And the 2nd Haas seat. I don't think Haas are convinced (yet) that Mick has done enough to earn himself another year with the team.

Maybe Zak Brown only wants to see the world burn.

I sure hope Piastri has an absolute iron clad agreement to be racing in F1 next year. I hope he hasn't overplayed his hand. How can he walk back into the Alpine garage (if he is allowed back) with a straight face? Maybe he IS Alonso's protege.

I sure hope Piastri has an absolute iron clad agreement to be racing in F1 next year. I hope he hasn't overplayed his hand. How can he walk back into the Alpine garage (if he is allowed back) with a straight face? Maybe he IS Alonso's protege.

5. Norris and Ricciardo have contracts to drive F1 cars, Palou has a (possibly illegitimate) contract that is for either Indycar or F1, and Piastri and Herta reportedly have agreements in principle to drive F1 cars.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, they're on an upward stint since a couple years, are fighting for 4th in the championship, and the Alpine brand has just been really started.

"Just" losing a high potential talent doesn't put that in question, plenty of people would still love to be in that car. But yeah, someone needs to leave after this.

BTW, isn't Zhou from the Renault/Alpine program?

I have it on good authority that the head of comms at Alpine just went for it with the announcement, and may be in the firing line now

That still wouldn't excuse Alpine for their shambolic handling of their driver situation though.

After thinking it through from Piastri's position, Alpine were never going to place him in the team for one, possibly two seasons. They offered Alonso one year plus the option of him performing for another. So saying Alonso performed, Piastri would be out of the Alpine drive until 2025. That would realistically mean that he would have to sign a 3 plus year deal with Alpine with the express written clause that the 2025 drive is his.

They also failed to get him on the grid for this year, while journey man Zhou gets a drive, and haven't even given him a FP1 drive. Could he afford to run around the back with Willams for two years, especially if he didn't have an iron clad deal that the 2025 or 2024 Alpine seat was his? They then apparently hadn't taken up their option with him by a specific date.

So how wanted by Alpine does he feel? They didn't want him in their car till possibly 2025 or 2024 at minimum, didn't get him on the grid this year, haven't given him any FP1 runs so far, and failed to conclude a deal before his contract cut off date. No bloody wonder he has shopped around elsewhere.