Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren appear to disagree over the timeline surrounding when Oscar Piastri signed his contract with the team.
The Contracts Recognition board confirmed on Friday Piastri would be free to race for McLaren in 2023, meaning Alpine lost out on their man. That verdict was announced in an official FIA document, which also revealed that the deal had been signed on July 4.
That was one day after the British Grand Prix, and more than a week before a defiant message on social media in which Ricciardo said he planned to see out his full contract with McLaren. "I am committed to McLaren until the end of next year," he wrote at the time.
And Ricciardo appeared to suggest he wasn't told when Piastri had signed the deal to take over from him at McLaren, when asked about the saga at the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday.
"To be honest, on the date – that's the first I've heard," he told Sky Sports. "I'm not aware of timelines and this and that, whatever the team is discussing.
"To be honest, before that date – let's say months – we were already discussing, not my future, but where we could improve to try to have a better future with the team.
"I'm aware that there were going to be talks ongoing. I guess what the team does for preparing Oscar, that's not my business in terms of what dates they spoke, this or that. If that's the case, then so be it – it's not my decision to make."
However, McLaren are adamant that the Australian driver was informed of what was taking place at all times regarding Piastri.
Andreas Seidl said on Friday in a press conference: "Obviously we don't go into the details of the contract that we signed with Oscar. Regarding Daniel, as we have communicated last week, I think throughout this year Daniel, Zak and myself had an open and transparent dialogue at any time of where we both are. Therefore, there is no issue in that aspect."
Meanwhile, Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz said on air that Alpine's management have been left "shell-shocked" by the outcome.
But they are also keen to move on, and declared in a statement: "We consider the matter closed on our side and will announce our full 2023 driver line-up in due course. Our immediate focus is the Dutch Grand Prix and securing points in our fight for fourth in the constructors' championship."
