Toto Wolff claims that now teams will lawyer up and have stricter contracts with the drivers, and he dislikes the precedent set.
The 2022 drivers’ market saw the biggest controversy in Oscar Piastri and McLaren vying against Alpine in front of the Contract Regulations Board (CRB).
The two teams were fighting for the services of the Australian race driver. Alpine argued that Piastri had an obligation to serve them, but McLaren argued that they had an agreement with him since July.
Ultimately, the Woking-based team won the trial in front of the CRB. This means Piastri will be competing for McLaren from the 2023 season after the board found McLaren’s agreement only the valid one.
On top of that, Alpine also had to compensate Piastri and McLaren for over $420,000. Thus, it was an embarrassing and expensive affair for the French team.
Seeing this, Mercedes’s boss Toto Wolff is not pleased with the judgement. He claims that it has set a precedent for drivers to violate agreements, and now, teams will lawyer up to have a firmer hold over their drivers’ contracts.
“We invest human resources that go to the go-kart tracks, to the junior formulas, and in some cases, it’s little money, some cases it’s more,” he said in the interview.
“To know now that a precedent has been set that if you’re clever you can manoeuvre yourself out is something that’s clearly not good for the industry.”
“So, we will be employing even more lawyers for even stricter contracts. But for me, I believe in the integrity also of the drivers we have,” he added.
Also read: Daniel Ricciardo caught revealing his future in conversation with Red Bull driver Sergio Perez
Alpine can end Oscar Piastri’s current contract
Now, losing the 2023 services of Piastri, the French team can even decide to end the current contract of the 21-year-old driver. This year, he is employed as their reserve driver.
On the other hand, recent reports have suggested that Piastri didn’t like Alpine’s plan to send him to Williams for a couple of years and call him back. For him, McLaren’s offer was more viable and lucrative.
Further, Piastri’s agent Mark Webber has attacked the Renault-powered team. He claims that the F1 team didn’t even invest as much in Piastri as they claim.
Also read: Oscar Piastri choosing F1 over cricket was wise decision
