Former Alpine F1 Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer has shared candid insights about his brief tenure with the Enstone-based squad, admitting that he foresaw challenges early on due to a lack of control within the team’s operations. Szafnauer, who was appointed in 2022, initially led Alpine to a promising fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship during his debut season. However, the team’s fortunes quickly shifted, and Szafnauer was ousted in July 2023 as Alpine struggled to keep pace with rivals Aston Martin and McLaren.
Despite a bright moment in 2023 with Esteban Ocon’s podium finish in Monaco, Alpine’s decline continued, prompting another management shakeup. Szafnauer, who has previously been vocal about the issues he faced at Alpine, criticized the Renault board for their lack of understanding necessary for success in Formula 1. However, he now reveals that his concerns began from the very start of his role.
“There’s a few things that went wrong at Alpine, one of which was I didn’t have control over the entire team,” Szafnauer explained on the High Performance podcast. “So for example, and I knew straight away: [human resources] didn’t report to me, reported up through France; the finance office didn’t report to me, reported up through France. The communications department didn’t report to me, and the marketing group, commercial, didn’t report to me. And that in itself I knew was going to be problematic.”
Before taking the job, Szafnauer was promised full control over Alpine’s operations, but once he arrived, he found that several critical departments reported directly to Renault’s headquarters in France rather than to him. “I knew at the beginning—I thought I could manage it—but I knew it’s just problematic,” Szafnauer admitted. The disparity between what was promised and the reality of his role was a major red flag, signaling that the cohesive management he had hoped to establish was unlikely.
Alpine’s management issues have persisted even after Szafnauer’s departure. His successor, Bruno Famin, has already stepped back, with Oliver Oakes now taking charge. The team has regressed further, dropping to ninth place in the Constructors’ standings with only 12 points across 18 rounds this season. Furthermore, Alpine has decided to cease Renault’s engine production from 2025, signaling a major shift in its operations.
Reflecting on the team’s decline since his exit, Szafnauer believes it highlights that the problems ran deeper than his leadership. “I don’t know where they are today—ninth or something in the championship—today it’s a disaster,” he remarked. “Back then, yeah, it’s a half-step back, but sometimes you take a half-step back to take two steps forward.”
Szafnauer’s candid revelations shine a light on the internal struggles that have plagued Alpine. The fragmented structure and lack of unified leadership appear to have hampered progress, leaving the team struggling to find stability and success. As Alpine continues to navigate its challenges with new leadership, Szafnauer’s experience serves as a reminder of the importance of cohesive management in a sport as demanding as Formula 1.
