The previous contractual disputes in Formula 1
Waiting for the outcome of the Oscar Piastri case, the Geneva Contract Recognition Commission, affiliated with the FIA, is set to deliberate this week. Let's look back at the history of this commission and the previous disputes that have animated Formula 1.
The Contract Recognition Committee was created by the governing body of motor racing, the FIA, to determine the legality of drivers’ contracts and settle disputes between Formula 1 teams regarding these contracts. The meetings take place in Switzerland, in Geneva. The committee is comprised of independent lawyers, considered sufficiently experienced in contract law. Its aim is to settle disputes within a few days, rather than the extended timelines that a court would take.
The committee was formed after Michael Schumacher signed to drive for the Benetton team in 1991, although he had also agreed to discuss a contract with the Jordan team.
The three recent disputes.
The driver Timo Glock had signed a contract with Toyota in Formula 1 to race with them starting from the 2008 season, but BMW Sauber also claimed to have a valid contract for the 2008 season. At the time, the committee ruled in favor of Toyota, who then announced Glock as the driver.
Jenson Button in August 2004, had signed a contract with Williams while he had a valid contract with BAR. The committee ruled in favor of BAR on October 20 of the same year and Button stayed with the team. Although it was not a strict decision of the committee, Button had signed a contract with Williams to drive for them in 2006, but then felt that he would be better placed at BAR to win Grand Prix races.
Oscar Piastri is the latest case to date. The Australian driver had joined Alpine as part of their driver development program, which included races in Formula 3, Formula 2, and tests in Formula 1. When Fernando Alonso signed with Aston Martin, Alpine quickly promoted Piastri alongside Esteban Ocon. Piastri had quickly denied any agreement on social media, subsequently stating that he had a valid contract with the McLaren team to replace Ricciardo. The committee met on Monday, August 29th and must make a decision by September 1st, 2022.
A decision regarding the Australian driver should therefore be announced in the following hours, thus putting an end to a month-long saga. This should also clear the situation for other drivers who will finally be able to negotiate with teams such as Alpine.
