"Szafnauer criticises Piastri: I expected more loyalty from him"
https://racingnews365.com/szafnauer-...alty-from-him/
"Otmar Szafnauer has stated that he "expected more loyalty" from Oscar Piastri after the driver denied agreeing to race for Alpine next season.
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Szafnauer explains Alpine statement
Speaking to Spanish outlet El Confidencial, Szafnauer admitted that the outcome of the situation "still has to be decided".
"We have a contract with Piastri, which he signed in November, we have spoken to our lawyers and they have told us that this is a binding contract, so part of that contract allows us to put Oscar in one of our cars in 2023, which is the reason we issued the press release," Szafnauer claimed.
"There is also an option for 2024 and the possibility for us to 'loan' the driver to another team. We wanted Fernando with us for one more year and then a 'loan' of Oscar for 2023.
"I have always said in all my press conferences that Piastri would be in Formula 1 in 2023 and it is because I knew he could be in our car or in another car, on loan, if Fernando had stayed.
"But Alonso, for whatever reason – and I think I know the reasons, although you should ask him – he goes to Aston Martin. So, we started to finalise the agreement with Piastri, and instead of giving him away, we decided to put him in our car. Hence, the statement.""
El Confidencial interview:
https://www.elconfidencial.com/depor...quipo_3472446/