I'm sure they both said they'd like to and would be continuing next season but what's said in public and what's said in private can and often is very different in F1.
Motorsport Off Topic Thread
- Thread starter Shimmy
- Start date
Soldato
Danny's future is currently speculative though..
Soldato
Norris to Alpine, multi year mega deal
Soldato
Or albon... or maybe not
Hamilton to 2024 then Norris/Russell at Mercedes. Maybe.
I go out with work last night and all this happens!!
Exciting stuff. Love that it is being played out on social media like this.
It's a silly season dream!
Exciting stuff. Love that it is being played out on social media like this.
It's a silly season dream!
Caporegime
Crazy that Alpine still have their statement tweet up. 
Caporegime
Crazy that Alpine still have their statement tweet up.
They've put out a statement saying that believe that it is legally correct. I suspect a bunch of lawyers are hung-over this morning.
Caporegime
Okay, how about a crazy theory:
Mark Webber is associated with Porsche, has been a brand ambassador since 2016 and the last thing he tweeted was about Porsche taking a stake in Red Bull. Mark Webber is also Piastri's manager.
It's not Ricciardo's seat at McLaren that Piastri is taking; it's Pérez's seat at Red Bull.
Mark Webber is associated with Porsche, has been a brand ambassador since 2016 and the last thing he tweeted was about Porsche taking a stake in Red Bull. Mark Webber is also Piastri's manager.
It's not Ricciardo's seat at McLaren that Piastri is taking; it's Pérez's seat at Red Bull.
Man of Honour
Possible but would Red Bull really ignore their own juniors again? Starts to make their own programme look worthless if they don't at least consider Hauger, Lawson, etc - I don't think they would put even Piastri straight into a Red Bull seat either, its just not their style not to put their juniors into AT first in recent years.
Summer break should be interesting though, I expect we should have almost all of the grid nailed down by the time we hit the track at Spa in just over 3 weeks time.
I do have suspicions that there's more going on at Alpine than meets the eye, Alonso going, Piastri looking to have chosen elsewhere, Prost left because he couldn't work with the new CEO (Rossi) - for a team that's 4th in the table and performing well they're making a Ferrari scale arse of this, I can't blame anyone for looking at McLaren, their car might not have been quite there this year but they're nothing but professional.
Soldato
That's a very good theory, connecting the dots. However I'd say that if Piastri had gotten in to the RB driver pool, then it's more likely he would replace Tsunoda at AT than the 'guaranteed team player' Perez.
Soldato
Hasn't Perez got a deal until the end of 2024 to drive at Red Bull? Unless it's for the parent organisation and they could bump him down to Alpha Tauri or let him go completely? Doesn't make sense to me. Max needs a solid wingman to help take points off rivals to help him win titles. Piastri might be good but it's a big risk. Piastri to partner Norris at McLaren whilst they are still trying to improve and challenge for race wins makes more sense to me.
Caporegime
Pérez had a deal to drive with Aston in 2021, Ricciardo has a deal to drive with McLaren in 2023. We've all seen how these deals can be broken when the teams and/or drivers want.
Soldato
Fair point. I just can't see why Red Bull would drop a proven race winner and support act to Max for someone who, although has a lot of potential, is an unknown in F1 cars. Perez knows Max is the favoured son. I can't see Piastri signing up to be Max's teammate on the proviso that he helps Max win titles.
Arguably the best F1 season in some time ( last years drama aside) also gives us the best silly season in a long time also. Did they change the silly season to ground effect as well ?
Even r/formuladank on reddit has briefly forgotten how much they hate Lewis, page after page of classic memes
Even r/formuladank on reddit has briefly forgotten how much they hate Lewis, page after page of classic memes
Soldato
Caporegime
Williams are 100% trolling with this, aren't they?
Also, if Piastri has turned down Alpine for Williams he should sack his manager.
Also, if Piastri has turned down Alpine for Williams he should sack his manager.
Soldato
Goatifi to Alpine, confirmed.