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Alpine CEO doubts future of junior programme after transfer soap Piastri

Alpine CEO doubts future of junior programme after transfer soap Piastri

18-09-2022 09:07 Last update: 09:08
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GPblog.com

Laurent Rossi does not yet know whether Alpine's junior programme will continue. Following the soap opera surrounding Oscar Piastri's contract, the French formation's CEO does not know whether they will take on new pupils in the future. Therefore, it is also possible that the current junior drivers will be the last to be part of the programme.

Earlier, it was announced that Piastri will team up with Lando Norris at McLaren from 2023. Alpine was initially still sure that the contract they had with the young Australian was legitimate. The special department around contracts vab FIA looked at both teams' agreements and ruled in McLaren's favour. Piastri thus chose a team that did not have him under its wing. Internally, there is now much doubt about the continuation of that programme, CEO Rossi said to The Race. "Besides the small blemish on Alpine, I think this is even a small blemish on the sport itself," Rossi believes. Currently, they still have Jack Doohan, Victor Martins and Caio Collet under their wings.

Doubts over future

The Alpine chief believes the transfer rumour surrounding Piastri could also have a negative impact on investors in the sport. "Therefore, I am not sure if I want to continue training drivers, otherwise I have to tie them down with a contract that may not appeal to them," Rossi acknowledges. He wonders how to solve that and whether they will go beyond the current set of drivers they have and with whom we will fulfil our commitments until the end, as we have multi-year plans. Taking on new drivers for the junior programme may not happen in the future either, says Rossi. "Because why should we?", he concludes.