With the beginning of August, many Spaniards have begun their well-deserved vacation days after a few months of hard work. One of them is Fernando Alonsowhich has been the great protagonist of the sports news in the last days.
His unexpected signing for Aston Martin has raised a cloud of dust that has not yet settled. The first victim is the team Alpinewhich has been involved in a reputation crisis that they did not see coming and that they are solving through the tactic of silence, lest they mess it up more.
Alonso’s presumed betrayal has left them at the feet of their horses, no pilot closed by 2023 and with yet 10 Grand Prizes ahead with Alonso as driver.
Alonso cares very little what happens to Alpine in the future. He only cares about what happens to them until next December, when he will finish his last season with the Anglo-French team.
Proof of this is his behavior in those 36 hours that have passed since he announced his departure to Aston Martin until Alpine assured that Oscar Piastri would be his replacement… something the pilot denied.
The soap opera has turned into a judicial discussion: the Australian has a contract with McLaren for 2023 and, given the duplicity with which it has with Alpine, it has been the Contract Recognition Office (which was created in F1 years ago by a similar tirade from Jenson Button with BAR Y Williams) who takes the reins. Right now, no one can be sure who will be the partner of Stephen Ocon in 2023.
Alonso plays crazy about it. While his bosses, the same ones who have kicked him out and made him go find a place in a team that, today, is closer to the bottom of the grid, he is dedicated to joking on the networks, enjoy its Museum and Circuit and share hours with your family.
A getaway to disconnect
After spending a few days in Oviedo with his family, Fernando Alonso has taken a plane to, together with his partner, take a vacation. Formula 1 stops until the last weekend of August, when both he and his girlfriend, Andrea Schlagerthey will have to go back to work: he to put on the Alpine overalls and she to pick up the microphone Servus TV (an Austrian channel very close to Red Bullpractically paid in full by the brand of energy drinks).
It will be a few weeks to gather strength for what is coming at them. Especially him, since he will see them in an Alpine that no longer loves him. The pilot has also not been very careful about showing his anger and making it clear that the closure of this relationship, that of Alpine with him, will not be easy or quick. While Otmar Szafnauerhis boss and guilty that he no longer continues, said that he was on a yacht in Greece, he posted photos and videos in Oviedo. To make it clear that Szafnauer, whom social networks in Spain have baptized as ‘Szufufu’ in a burlesque tone, was lying.
Every word Alonso and Alpine publicly issue will be measured to the comma. Communication management will be key, especially for the team that, right now, would sign to be in a not so good sporting situation and enjoy a few weeks that are a little calmer.