Otmar Szafnauer speaks out after Alpine axe and explains argument behind F1 exit

04 August 2023 , 17:02

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Otmar Szafnauer speaks out after Alpine axe and explains argument behind F1 exit

Otmar Szafnauer said his Alpine exit came after Renault chiefs rejected his proposed timeline for Formula 1 success.

The 58-year-old joined the Enstone squad at the start of 2022. And, during that time, he and other key figures at the team have consistently referenced their '100-race plan'.

As much as that is a nice soundbite, there has never really been much clarity over what exactly the plan is, or what the expected end goal after those 100 races was. But what is for sure now is that, somewhere along the way, the expectations of the team principal and the top Renault bosses diverged.

Szafnauer's departure was announced at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend. And he was not the only high-profile figure to leave, as sporting director Alan Permane also departs after 34 years at Enstone and chief technical officer Pat Fry is to join Williams.

It was a clear that it was a difference of opinion of some sort which led to Szafnauer's departure. But now he has confirmed that it was his outlook on the future which was deemed to be unacceptable by demanding Renault chiefs.

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"Yeah, it was definitely mutual," he said. "I laid out the timelines as to how long it takes in F1 to effect change. You know, it's not a football team — it's only two and 998 technicians, engineers and aerodynamicists, and to change a culture takes time.

"The timeline wasn't accepted by the bosses of Renault — they wanted it quicker and that's what we disagreed upon. So, yeah, mutual."

Szafnauer also confirmed that he must observe a 12-month period of gardening leave and not join any rival teams in that period. But that does not preclude him, he went on to clarify, from taking up other roles within the F1 space.

He added: "Not to go into the contractual stuff but I've got to stay away from other teams for a year, but not Formula 1 in general. I haven't achieved everything I want to achieve.

"I was hoping to build a really high-performing team [at Alpine] – I was well on my way to doing it, it's just unfortunate that all the good people are locked into long-term contracts and they're all coming in '24 and '25. Hopefully they'll still come but that's for them to decide now."

Daniel Moxon