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ultrasofts · 2 years

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ok I could not resist trying to put together a timeline for all of this mclaren/alpine silly season drama, with only minimal editorialising. i might edit to update as any new historic info comes up, and will add any subsequent updates in a reblog.

[fabrizio romano voice] here we go

2021

Nov 15 - Alpine send a ‘Terms Sheet’ agreement to Mark Webber and Oscar Piastri

The document outlines a roadmap for Piastri between 2020 and 2023, with limited detail beyond that

Both parties are clear that the next step is to sort out two contracts: one for Piastri’s services as a reserve driver in 2022, and another for his service in F1 for 2023 and 2024

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi promises Webber that a proper F1 agreement would be sent to him shortly - within ten business days

This does not happen, and talks ongoing for the following weeks. Alpine blame a lack of resourcing in their legal team for the delays

2022

February

Feb 17 - Otmar Szafnauer announced as the new Alpine team principal, following his departure from Aston Martin

March

March 1 - Webber requests that the contract be sorted by this date so that Piastri’s team have time to evaluate ahead of the start of the season

March 2 - Webber is promised that the contract would be sent to him the following day

March 4 - Alpine send Webber a draft agreement for the reserve driver position only, with a note that a contract for F1 for 23/24 will be sent the following week (once again, they do not)

March 13 - Alpine and McLaren announce that Piastri has joined McLaren’s pool of reserve drivers

March 14 - Alpine lodge the Terms Sheet with the CRB, signed by both parties. They have, retroactively, added the phrase “Legally binding” to the Heads of Terms title (lol)

The documents lodged referenced only the 2022 reserve driver role and made no mention of any extensions or options to extend

March 15 - Alpine send Webber & Piastri the proposed F1 agreement, which contains nothing definitive regarding which team Piastri will be driving for in 2023 (and beyond)

March 18 - 2022 F1 season commences with Friday practice at the Bahrain GP

May

Early May - McLaren allegedly inform Ricciardo they are looking at other options for 2023

May 19 - Webber/Piastri sent a proposal to sign a four-year contract from 2023 to 2026.

This includes a year at Williams in 2023, and potentially one more for 2024, if Alonso re-signs with Alpine

It also contains a firm deal to race for Alpine in 2025/26

This is apparently when Webber and Piastri decided to start seriously looking at other offers

Early discussions with McLaren had already taken place, but kick into high gear following this proposal

May 28 - McLaren extend Pato O’Ward’s contract through the end of 2025, fuelling speculation about Ricciardo’s position. Brown states, regarding Ricciardo: “there are mechanisms which we're committed to each other and then there are mechanisms which we're not.” (again, lol)

June

June 4 - preliminary deal signed between Piastri and McLaren, for an unspecified role in 2023

June 10 - Ricciardo again responds to recent criticism of his performance, stating that his contract is clear, and he is fully committed

July

July 4 - final race contract signed between Piastri and McLaren, for him to drive for McLaren in 2023, subject to there being a vacancy for him. If Ricciardo does not leave, he will be the reserve driver and take over the seat from 2024

July 12 - Chip Ganassi Racing announce they have picked up the option in Alex Palou’s contract and he will race for the IndyCar team in 2023

Alex Palou responds: “I have recently learned from the media that this afternoon, without my approval, Chip Ganassi Racing issued a press release announcing that I would be driving with CGR in 2023 … I have recently informed CGR, for personal reasons, I do not intend to continue with the team after 2022..”

McLaren welcome Alex Palou to the team for 2023, including with a tweet via their F1 twitter account (instead of the IndyCar Arrow McLaren account). They do not specify which team he will be driving for

July 13 - Ricciardo posts on Instagram: “There have been a lot of rumours around my future in Formula 1, but I want you to hear it from me. I am committed to McLaren until the end of next year and am not walking away from the sport. Appreciate it hasn’t always been easy, but who wants easy! I’m working my ass off with the team to make improvements and get the car right and back to the front where it belongs. I still want this more than ever.”

July 27 - Sebastian Vettel tells Aston Martin he will be retiring at the end of the season, and the announcement is made the following day

July 27 - Chip Ganassi racing sue Alex Palou

July 31 - Szafnauer says he is confident Alonso will sign with Alpine for 2023, and that he expects talks will be “very straightforward”

July 31 - F1 summer break commences following the Hungarian GP

August

Aug 1 - Aston Martin announce that Fernando Alonso will be driving for them in 2023 “and beyond”. Alpine are understood to be completely blindsided by the news

Aug 2 - Alpine announce that Piastri will race alongside Ocon in 2023

Piastri responds: “I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”

He inadvertently becomes a meme

Aug 8 - Szafnauer says to a Spanish outlet that he “expected more loyalty” from Piastri

Mid August - over the summer break, Ricciardo and McLaren agree to part ways after the 2022 season. His payout is speculated to be somewhere between half and his full contract, in the range of $15m-$20m

Aug 24 - McLaren announce that Ricciardo will leave the team at the end of 2022

Aug 25 - date for CRB meeting regarding Piastri’s contract announced

Aug 29 - CRB hearing commences. Both Toto Wolff and Christian Horner implicitly question Piastri’s loyalty

September

Sep 2 - CRB unanimously finds that Alpine’s term sheet did not constitute a valid contract, and the McLaren are the only team with a valid contract for Piastri’s services. They also rule that Alpine must pay McLaren and Piastri’s legal fees

Following the CRB ruling, McLaren announce that Oscar Piastri will drive alongside Lando Norris in 2023

Where things stand currently (Sep 5):

The CGR/McLaren/Palou situation is ongoing, although McLaren have recently indicated that they are willing to buy out Palou’s contract, a position they had previously rejected

It’s still unclear who will take the second seat at Alpine. Ricciardo, Gasly, and Schumacher have all been speculated upon, although the Gasly rumours have gathered significant steam over the Dutch GP race week

That would leave an open seat at Alpha Tauri, with Colton Herta apparently the favourite, if the FIA is willing to make an exception to the superlicense points requirement. Zak Brown has also voiced his support for Herta. Felipe Drugovich, the nominal F2 champion, is also rumoured to be in with a shot

There are still open questions about who will fill Palou’s seat at CGR if he indeed leaves, and who would fill Herta’s at Andretti if he left

Additional sources:

The real story behind Piastri’s F1 move to McLaren

Chip Ganassi Racing sues Alex Palou amid contract dispute

CRB ruling details Alpine failings in handling Piastri contract

#hello i spent like an hour on this yesterday so uh here #alpine #mclaren #silly season 2022 #i am not here i cannot speak about the dutch gp or i will die #long post

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nahkyl · 2 months

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hi! I hope you’re having a good day :)

coming for the prompt thing, but maybe rodrygo and kylian future bonding once he comes to madrid? I know rodrygo is one of the most excited players to have him here, and both love to hug and all with others so

Hey Nonny ! Hope you're doing well. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PROMPT?! You're the only one to send one! It makes me very happy. Hope you like it!

Chimère.

The news broke in the evening. Rodrygo found himself sprawled across the couch, with Rayan and Ravy clambering all over him, filling the room with their giggles. Amidst the playful chaos, his phone incessantly pinged with notifications. Curiosity piqued, he glanced at the screen to find a barrage of messages flooding their team's WhatsApp group. Frowning, he unlocked his phone to discover a plethora of capitalized messages.

Vini: VIENE?! IT'S OFFICIAL?!

Carva: Looks like it.

Selu: He told his presi, it's as official as it could get.

Lucky Luka: I think we should wait for Carlo or Pérez to tell us.

Jude: Tchou and Cama should confirm it!

Tchou: I'm not Fabrizio Romano.

Cama: There's no way we're asking him; he hates it when we bring up his club career.

Rodrygo furrowed his brow. What on Earth were they talking about?

Rodry: What are you guys talking about?

Vini: RODRY! IT'S MBAPPÉ! VIENE!

Rodrygo nearly dropped Rayan in his haste to sit up. "WHAT?!" he exclaimed.

Rodrygo: WHAT??? HE'S COMING????

Tchou: [link]

The link directed him to Fabrizio Romano's post, confirming Kylian's decision not to renew at the end of the season. The news hit Rodrygo like a bolt of lightning.

"Holy shit!"

"Papai said a bad word!" Ravy giggled.

Kylian Mbappé at Real Madrid. It wasn't officially announced where he was headed, but everyone could guess. Rodrygo beamed.

Rodrygo's admiration for the French player ran deep. Despite being a few years older, Rodrygo had watched every single one of Mbappé’s games since his UCL debut with Monaco. He remembered being absolutely mesmerized by his efficiency, hoping to play just like him one day. However, as Mbappé's career flourished, Rodrygo had come to terms with the fact that some players operated on a different level. When rumors swirled about Mbappé signing with Real Madrid in 2022, Rodrygo had been convinced he would join. So, like everyone else, he was disappointed when he chose to renew. Mainly because Rodrygo had longed to play alongside him. Now, it seemed that chance might finally come.

Mbappé's rumored arrival came with a flood of speculation, but one rumor troubled Rodrygo more than the rest: the idea that Mbappé would poison the locker room. Initially dismissing it as baseless speculation from haters, Rodrygo's perspective shifted when Neymar liked a post essentially accusing Mbappé of pushing him out of the club. Neymar, whom Rodrygo respected, wouldn't lie. Yet, Rodrygo had also found Mbappé to be pleasant company during their encounters. Conflicted, Rodrygo turned to his phone for answers.

Scrolling through social media, Rodrygo was surprised by the volume of hate directed towards Mbappé, especially from PSG supporters. Many criticized his attitude and accused him of disrespecting the club. Rodrygo struggled to understand the situation, relying on automatic translations that only added to his confusion. Could it be a cultural issue, as Neymar had suggested?

He recalled Neymar's frequent complaints during Brazilian national team gatherings. "They’re not appreciative enough. And they specifically shit on their best," Neymar would often lament. While Rodrygo respected Neymar, he recognized the man wasn’t without faults himself. He understood the frustration of supporters regarding a player their club had invested €220 million in, who only played half of each season. However, the tweets judging Mbappé's character left Rodrygo feeling even more confused. Determined to gain insight from those who knew Mbappé personally, he resolved to seek out information.

The following day, during practice, Rodrygo approached Aurélien. "How's Mbappé like?" he inquired. Surprised by the question, Aurélien responded with a smirk, "He's cool. Why? Looking for a date?"

Not one to skirt around the issue, Rodrygo replied honestly, "I've seen a lot of things about him being egotistical and all that. People are worried he might disrupt the locker room."

Aurélien's demeanor shifted as he held the ball at his foot, all traces of humor vanishing. "Tell me one thing, Rodry. When things get tough for you, who do you lean on?"

Rodrygo furrowed his brow, uncertain of the correlation. "My family? My friends? You guys?" he replied.

"Exactly. Kylian doesn’t lean on anyone but himself," Aurélien asserted firmly before forcefully striking the ball towards the goal and walking away. Rodrygo was taken aback by the unexpected reaction.

"Don’t mind him," Eduardo said, approaching Rodrygo. "He’s a bit protective of our national team players. Every single one of them. A born leader, that one."

"I didn’t mean to offend him," Rodrygo admitted.

"You didn’t," Eduardo reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We’ve just been seeing a lot of negativity on social media about Kylian, and it bothers us, but I think Auré takes it personally."

"Why?" Rodrygo inquired.

"Because when he first joined the national team, Kylian was the one who helped him break out of his shell, trusted him most on the pitch," Eduardo explained. "It helped Tchou gain confidence. No one knows this, but during that goal against England, Kylian asked Antoine to pass to Aurélien and then yelled, 'Shoot!' That moment meant a lot to him. Because it was such a big game, the World Cup is such a big stage. It was a great show of trust."

Rodrygo looked down at the ball at his feet, wondering if he had been rude. "You didn’t do anything wrong, Rodrygo," Eduardo reassured him. "It’s normal to be curious and ask."

"What did he mean by 'he only leans on himself'?" Rodrygo questioned.

Eduardo's smile faded. "Kylian has a great support system, but he tends to only believe what his brain tells him. He’s not egotistical; he just trusts himself to be honest about his performances. That's why he’s so hard on himself." "Sounds lonely," Rodrygo remarked.

"Most players of such caliber are lonely," Eduardo agreed.

As the season passed, games were won and trophies claimed. Mbappé's arrival was confirmed, and soon enough, Rodrygo saw pictures of him and the president holding a jersey with the number 10 plastered on it. Excitement and apprehension mingled within Rodrygo as he anticipated meeting and playing with Mbappé. Despite their tight-knit squad feeling like a family, he worried about how they would integrate Mbappé. While it was easy with Jude due to his youth and potential, Mbappé's nine years of experience, world championships, and numerous individual accolades marked him as a veteran of sorts.

Finally, Rodrygo caught sight of Mbappé during the players’ medical visit. He was laughing with the staff, conversing in rapid Spanish. Rodrygo approached him and tapped on his shoulder. Upon seeing him, Mbappé beamed. "Hey man! Nice to see you again!" he greeted warmly. Rodrygo's smile mirrored Mbappé's infectious enthusiasm. "How are you? Traveled well?" he inquired. Mbappé nodded eagerly, his smile never faltering. "Yeah! I’m so excited to be here!" he exclaimed.

Observing Mbappé, Rodrygo sensed his genuine excitement. With his big smile and bright eyes, Mbappé appeared younger than he was. Rodrygo couldn’t help but feel sorry for him; he knew his teammates wouldn’t go easy on him. At Madrid, if you didn't prove your worth, you'd struggle.

"We’re happy you’re here," Rodrygo said sincerely. "Finally," he added with a playful smile, eliciting a hearty laugh from Mbappé.

"That’s what everyone keeps saying," Mbappé responded bashfully. "I hope I’ll meet people’s expectations," he added, pressing a palm to his neck, displaying a nervous tick.

"Of course you will," Rodrygo reassured him. "You're Kylian Mbappé."

During the squad's first training session of the season, Mbappé was met with reserved expressions and tight smiles, except from Aurélien and Eduardo, who warmly embraced him. However, Mbappé remained undeterred, maintaining a bright smile and sticking close to Aurélien and Eduardo. With team gameplay scheduled for the following day, the coaching staff focused on integrating Mbappé seamlessly.

The next day, Mbappé showcased why Madrid had anticipated his arrival for close to a decade. His speed and explosiveness were unparalleled, but what struck Rodrygo was his efficiency. He didn’t waste movements or passes unless they led to a goal opportunity.

"You can’t give this guy any space!" Valverde remarked with a smile as they returned to the locker room.

"How are you not scoring 60 goals per season?" Toni quipped, prompting Mbappé to laugh and shyly duck his face, almost appearing... shy?

"He's not too far off that number," Aurélien smirked, earning a chuckle from the team.

"Is the defense different in France?" Jude asked, and all three French players nodded vigorously.

"They don’t leave any space," Eduardo explained.

"It’s a very low block," Aurélien added. "You play against 11 players the moment you enter their half."

"Except in Paris, the front three usually don’t defend," Vinicius interjected with a grin.

Mbappé laughed at that. "Oh come on! I got better last season!"

"Well here, you’re gonna have to fall back to defend," Toni remarked.

"I know! I trained for it!" the frenchman whined playfully.

Toni laughed heartily. "Awww, sorry I’m messing with you," he said, putting him in a headlock.

"Rodry might have some competition in the cuteness department," Thibault joked, eliciting laughter from the team.

Mbappé's cheeks reddened, and Rodrygo again noticed his youthful appearance.

"I didn’t know he’d have such boyish charm," Jude remarked later as they walked to the parking lot. "He looks like a kid. Younger than me, almost."

"Be serious, you’re the most expressive kid I've ever met. You ARE a kid," Rodrygo teased.

"You're barely older than me!"

Over the next few days, training focused on integrating Mbappé, Vinicius, and Rodrygo. Slowly, they began forming a connection, with Mbappé and Vinicius proving to be a lethal combination. Rodrygo could sense that their chemistry was promising, evidenced by the rare smile on Carlo’s face.

On Mbappé’s first night at the Bernabeu, Rodrygo anticipated the mixed reception he would receive. While his presentation had gone smoothly, many fans still harbored resentment. Walking up to him, Rodrygo whispered, "Are you okay?"

Mbappé looked up, eyes wide with excitement. "Hey! Yeah! I’m so excited!"

"No nerves?" Rodrygo asked cautiously.

Mbappé chuckled and clasped a hand on his shoulder. "Rodry, relax. It’s just football, man."

As they walked out, Mbappé's eyes sparkled with awe, and he went on to score a hat-trick. The whistles from the crowd diminished with each goal until they were replaced by cheers.

Back in the locker room, celebrations ensued, and Mbappé was hailed for his hat-trick. Jude approached him, asking for his autograph.

"A fucking hat-trick on his first day, bro. This man is una locura!" Jude exclaimed.

After a while, Mbappé approached him. "Would you please sign it for me?" he asked, holding out a ball. Rodrygo looked at the ball in his hand. "Of course! Congrats, bro. First of many!" he winked, signing the ball. After signing, he confessed, "It’s an honor to play with you, Kylian."

Mbappé blushed, his eyes wide as he turned bright red, looking down. Rodrygo was astonished. "Thank you," Mbappé said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Rodrygo frowned. "Come on, you must hear that every single day."

Mbappé looked up furtively.

"What?! No?!"

Rodrygo couldn't comprehend how Mbappé wasn't adulated by every player he'd ever played with.

The french player shrugged. "They say it in interviews and all, but no one’s ever said it to me directly. It’s the first time. It feels weird."

"Even the youngsters?!" Rodrygo asked incredulously.

Mbappé shrugged again. "My little brother says I intimidate them."

Rodrygo hoisted his bag on his shoulder, ready to leave. "I can't tell why. You're all meme expressions and eagle laughs."

Mbappé burst into laughter and playfully shoved him. "See you tomorrow, Rodry!"

Rodrygo posted a picture of Mbappé's post about his hat-trick on his Instagram story with the caption "idolo y ahora compañero! @k.mbappe". Mbappé responded with "amigo*", making him smile.

Over the next few weeks, they grew closer through FIFA games and terrible humor. Slowly, Mbappé began hanging out with him and Vinicius as much as he did with Aurélien and Eduardo. Their connection during games became more fluid, and when Rodrygo assisted his first goal, and they hugged like they'd been friends for decades, it felt like their on-pitch bond was sealed.

A couple of weeks later, Rodrygo twisted his ankle, and Kylian was the one who checked up on him the most. One day when Rodrygo was particularly upset about it, Kylian showed up at his door and insisted they played FIFA to distract the Brazilian. Rodrygo couldn’t fathom not liking the guy. And seeing him interact with his twins made him feel like he might be a new friend.

So one day, three months in, when Kylian had broken every record held at the club during that period, when Rodrygo felt they had become actual friends, he asked, "What happened between you and Neymar?" Kylian stopped dead in his tracks. "You don’t have to tell me! Sorry, that was intrusive—"

"No, I just don’t feel comfortable talking about your national team’s captain. Sorry. No matter what happened, I have a lot of respect for him, and I wouldn’t do that."

Even after he humiliated you for all eyes to see? Rodrygo wanted to ask, but he kept it to himself. "I’m sorry."

"Don’t apologize. Just… there are always two sides to a story, and two people to form any type of relationship. So I hold a part of responsibility in what happened, and I don’t want to find excuses."

How the fuck did anyone manage to hate this guy?

In the Champions League Round of 16, Real Madrid was going to face PSG. Rodrygo immediately texted Kylian. He answered that he was excited. When was he not?

"When are you not?" he asked on the phone. Kylian laughed. "Are you kidding?! It’s the beauty of the sport! You stop being excited, it’s time to go! I’m ecstatic that we’re facing them!"

And ecstatic he was. If the four goals he scored at Parc des Princes were anything to go by. Rodrygo saw a side of him he hadn’t seen before. The more he was whistled at, the more lethal he became. He assisted Vinicius' goal, and had Rodrygo not missed his control, he would have assisted his too. 5-0. Kylian hadn’t celebrated any of the goals, but Rodrygo still felt like there was a sense of vengeance there. When the referee finally whistled the end of the game, putting an end to PSG’s misery, Rodrygo ran up to him, followed by Jude. "You’re incredible," he whispered in his ear as he hugged him. "You’re insane." Kylian giggled, like he hadn’t humiliated his old club.

Rodrygo thought the Frenchman was an interesting contrast of killing instinct and joy. A chimera of some sort. Aurélien and Eduardo approached them, and Aurélien put his hand in front of his face to talk to him, now that they were surrounded by cameras. "You’re crazy for not holding back, bro. They’re gonna hurt you with their words." Kylian’s smile suddenly fell before he regained composure. He smiled, but this time, for the first time since Rodrygo met him, it didn’t reach his eyes. It felt sad, somewhat melancholic. "They can’t anymore," he simply said. Rodrygo and Aurélien exchanged a look. He watched Kylian’s back as he walked towards the locker rooms, booed by his old supporters, wearing a white jersey instead of a blue. Sometimes, he forgot Kylian had stayed seven years at PSG.

After their resounding victory at the Bernabeu, they found themselves at Kylian's house, sprawled out on the grass in his garden, taking a well-deserved break from football. It turned out Kylian wasn't one for the club scene; he preferred the comforts of home and a good game. Rodrygo couldn't help but wonder how anyone could label him a diva.

"Why did you stay?" Rodrygo ventured, feeling it was a safe topic to venture on now.

Kylian pondered for a moment before responding, "Because I felt it was my duty. People off the pitch made me believe that leaving would not only hurt the club but the championship, the city, even the country. They sold me on this grand long-term project, akin to what Man City had, with a world-class trainer like Pep coming in to reshape the team and its mentality. And I bought into it. But it turned out to be empty promises. Thank God for my mom; she saw through it. She was the one to come up with the NBA-like contract, with the option thing. She made sure I had an outlet, knowing they wouldn't willingly let me go. She always wanted me to leave."

"Does it hurt you, knowing the supporters of a club you dedicated so many years to now hate you?"

"No," Kylian replied, his tone firm. "I'm not angry with the supporters. I'm frustrated with the direction for not keeping their word and putting us in this situation. I don't need validation from some fans because I know my worth. I've had some of the best seasons in the club's history. We reached quarters, semis, and the final for the first time in the History of the club. No one can take that away from us. No one can erase me being the top scorer. No one can erase the sacrifices I made for that jersey, the literal sweat, blood and tears I poured onto it. I'm angry because they've put the club in this mess. It'll take them years, literal years, to recover. All because they couldn't honor their promise. They just needed to keep their word, Rodry. Just that. I would've stayed."

Rodrygo was taken aback, speechless at Kylian's honesty. "Really ?"

"Fuck yeah I would have." Kylian answer, tone decisive. "Madrid is a dream, but Paris was- is home. Had Enrique come one year earlier, I would've stayed. But I can’t gamble it anymore. I’m 26. For once, I want to think of me. Of the legacy I kept saying I would leave. For once, I’m gonna be selfish."

You'll bring them the UCL one day," Rodrygo said, offering a wink. "As a coach."

Kylian chuckled at the notion. "Maybe. But right now, let's focus on winning ours. Come on, get up!"

Rodrygo groaned but complied. "Hey, Kylian."

"Hm?"

"It's truly an honor to have you as a teammate. And a friend."

Kylian's smile widened. "Same Goes, Rodry!"

"Your humor is terrible."

"You love it."

#THERE YOU GO #This fucking monster #i hope you like it but i know it's WACK #prompts #SEND ME MORE #nahkyl writes (sometimes)

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