Alonso found conspiracy theories over F1 contract saga "sad and annoying" – Autosport

Alonso was the first major domino to fall in silly season when he announced a shock move from Alpine to Aston Martin for 2023 on the first day of the summer break.
It prompted Alpine to announce reserve driver Oscar Piastri as Alonso’s replacement for next year, only for Piastri to deny he had signed a deal as he angled for a move to McLaren, which confirmed Daniel Ricciardo’s exit earlier this week.
Amid the driver market madness, links were made between Alonso, his former manager Flavio Briatore and Piastri’s manager, Mark Webber, who was also managed by Briatore during his F1 career.
But Alonso denied there was any involvement from Briatore in his move or that Webber was aware of things, and that he found it “quite sad and annoying to read that conspiracy.”
“I made this decision, because for some months that I’d been chatting with the team about extending the contract, and nothing officially arrived, and nothing officially happened,” Alonso explained.
“Aston called me after Sebastian [Vettel] retired. If Sebastian continued, this probably would not happen, the move to Aston. So they were very clear and very easy decisions from my side.
“What happened after and what is happening with Oscar, as I said, is completely not my thing. I will be completely aside.”
Flavio Briatore
Photo by: Alpine
Alonso added that Briatore was “not part of any of the negotiations” and he had been “doing my thing always.”
“Flavio was coming to some races,” Alonso said. “But as you may know, with other deals he may have with Stefano [Domenicali] and Formula 1 and paddock club and other things, but not related to me.”
Formula 1’s Contract Recognition Board is set to make a decision regarding Piastri’s position in a hearing on Monday, which will impact Alpine’s and McLaren’s plans for next year.
Alonso said he was “surprised” by the Piastri situation, but called the Australian “an incredible talent for any team”. Alonso wished the best to both Piastri and Alpine as he neared the end of his third stint at Enstone.
“It’s going to be my team this year, but it’s going to be my team always in my heart, because we achieved things that were unthinkable when we started the relationship,” Alonso said.
“I went back to the sport also thanks to Alpine. I only wish the best for them.”
Why Verstappen has the upper hand for Spa’s recovery race
Norris: No sympathy for Ricciardo’s struggles with MCL36
Ferrari: Sensor failure led to Leclerc’s “unlucky” pitlane speeding penalty
Leclerc: No frustration with Ferrari despite late F1 Belgian GP pitstop backfiring
Connecting two of Ferrari’s favourite F1 sons
Alonso: First-lap F1 Belgian GP clash is Hamilton’s mistake
Alonso “cautious” over second row start at Spa after Canada mistakes
The Saturday morning tricks that expose Alonso’s true mindset
Video evidence shows it was Verstappen’s tear off in Leclerc’s brake duct
Video footage of the opening lap of Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix has left Ferrari in no doubt that the tear off that wrecked Charles Leclerc’s race was Max Verstappen’s.
Ferrari: Sensor failure led to Leclerc’s “unlucky” pitlane speeding penalty
Ferrari has revealed a sensor failure resulting from the tear-off that became stuck in Charles Leclerc’s brake duct led to his “unlucky” penalty for Formula 1 pitlane speeding.
Alonso: First-lap F1 Belgian GP clash is Hamilton’s mistake
Fernando Alonso has put the blame firmly on Lewis Hamilton for their clash at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix but played down his criticism as a “first-lap incident”.
Leclerc: No frustration with Ferrari despite late F1 Belgian GP pitstop backfiring
Charles Leclerc says he feels no frustration with Ferrari’s Formula 1 strategists over the decision to pit him late in the Belgian Grand Prix, despite the call backfiring.
The traditionalist F1 venue stuck in a philosophical row 
With the future of Spa as a grand prix venue in doubt, BEN EDWARDS admits not everyone will be disappointed if it is dropped from the calendar
Which teams adapted best to F1’s new 2022 rules?
As F1 moves into the second half of the 2022 season, PAT SYMONDS analyses which teams have so far performed well under the championship’s new technical regulations
Why Verstappen has the upper hand for Spa’s recovery race
Formula 1 title rivals Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc both face a battle to recover from the rear of the grid after engine penalties. But it appears the championship leader is in the box seat on pace to salvage the most from a potentially tricky Belgian Grand Prix
How Formula 1’s Audi coup has been realised
Formula 1 has pulled off a major coup in encouraging Audi to join the series as an engine manufacturer from the 2026 season. It speaks to the surge in popularity F1 is enjoying, with Porsche set to follow suit. Here’s how F1 snared the four rings, and what comes next for the famous German marque as it sets about tackling its new challenge
How “more balanced” Ricciardo has learned to manage his F1 travails
A year ago Daniel Ricciardo was under fire at McLaren, but turned his season around with a spectacular win at Monza. Now, as OLEG KARPOV explains, he’s got to do it all over again just to preserve his place in Formula 1 after the shock news of his departure from McLaren…
Why Spa can reveal the most about Mercedes’ powers of resurrection
After a difficult start to Formula 1’s ground effect-era, Mercedes has shown signs of recovery in recent races by regularly finishing on the podium and even taking pole last time out in Hungary. With more time to understand its W13 car and its improvement in recent races, plus a new technical directive coming into force for Spa, the Belgian GP could be a crucial barometer of its progress
How Senna’s first F1 winner gave Lotus life after Chapman
Designed by Gérard Ducarouge, the 97T returned Lotus to the winners circle for the first time since the death of its founder but also, as STUART CODLING reveals, gave the team a problem holding onto its new star
Grading F1’s 2022 drivers at half-term
Over the first 13 races of Formula 1’s new ground effects era, Max Verstappen has surged into the lead in the world championship over Charles Leclerc. But as the 2022 season prepares to roar back into life, who stacks up as the top of the class, and who must do better? We graded every driver based on their performances so far

source