The former Team Principal of Alpine and Aston Martin spoke on the podcast ‘High Performance,’ sharing a comprehensive look at his experiences so far in Formula 1. Otmar Szafnauer, born in 1964 with Romanian citizenship, recounted key moments in his career, focusing mainly on his recent time with the teams he’s been a part of. His words revealed an important human aspect, often the starting point of his work. This is an aspect sometimes underestimated, as in his latest experience at Alpine, which is currently facing a season filled with difficulties and uncertainties.
From the split with Aston Martin to the truth about the Piastri case at Alpine
The roots of Otmar Szafnauer’s recent chapter with the French team began with his decision to leave Aston Martin at the start of 2022. Szafnauer had built a healthy and cooperative environment at Aston Martin, dating back to the days when it was Force India. With Lawrence Stroll’s acquisition of the team, changes were made regarding responsibilities and the team structure, as Szafnauer explained. “When Lawrence bought the team, he wanted to achieve success faster than was possible, and he thought that Martin Whitmarsh could help. But ‘the Church cannot have two Popes,’” he said, using this eloquent metaphor. “I would have liked to stay, but Martin took over many of my responsibilities, and that was a hard reality for me to face. That’s how I ended up at Alpine.”
However, his new chapter with the French team showed system flaws from the start, which were reflected in unpleasant episodes like the ‘Piastri Case.’ “The contract was supposed to be signed in November [2021], but it never was. I started in March and had no idea about the situation. They didn’t upload the documents correctly and never signed a contract with him. In that November, there was a two-week window to do it, and they didn’t.”
Alpine’s mistakes and praise for Toto Wolff’s mentality
The scandal over how Alpine let Oscar Piastri slip away was just the beginning of the team’s decline. Over the months, internal difficulties steadily increased, eventually affecting on-track performance. Since last year, Alpine has lost key personnel, starting with the former team principal, who was fired in the middle of the Belgian GP weekend in 2023. “We were working to grow, we were sixth in the championship with a couple of podiums, we were scoring points regularly. We were in the midfield, and the situation wasn’t as disastrous as it is today, where they’re ninth… Today, it’s a disaster.” Szafnauer spoke about how much effort he put into the team, even though he was aware of the long process required. This patience was probably not appreciated by the group’s leadership, who failed to recognize the work done by many of the figures who have since left the team. “We wanted to become one of the top three teams. Back then, I was working with the FIA to gain something in terms of the PU before the engine freeze; we were down by about 25 horsepower. I discussed this at my last F1 Commission meeting in Belgium. I worked to improve Alpine on all fronts, and I did so until my last day.” – he pointed out.
The exodus of key figures and the team’s subsequent performance decline can also be attributed to a lack of synergy between different departments. “Trust is great, and ownership is perfect,” Otmar Szafnauer said, adding, “but it’s not enough to just trust the people working in various departments; you have to make sure everyone reports their work to you.” This mentality, Otmar Szafnauer said, was the foundation of his successful paths. He explained how creating a cooperative environment is key to growing a team, even before the available financial resources. “If you want to work with great people, first of all, you need to build a good environment to work in,” he said, describing the mindset needed to grow a team. “Only then will people want to come work for you. A good workplace can be different for everyone, and a good manager must understand and meet each person’s needs. I remember, for example, when aerodynamics expert Guru Johl left Red Bull to join Force India, and Toto Wolff couldn’t believe it.”
Mentioning the Mercedes Team Principal, Otmar Szafnauer praised his values and mentality, which he said were the foundation of Mercedes’ dominance. “Toto took Mercedes to another level. I remember when he walked down the pit lane looking at the other garages. At the time, Red Bull was the benchmark, and he told his sporting director, ‘I want something better than them.’”
Szafnauer: “A return to F1? I’d like to build a new team”
One of the praises that can certainly be given to Otmar Szafnauer is that he kept Force India afloat when it was on the brink of collapse. He recounted how he personally paid his workers’ salaries, and despite limited resources, the team remained highly competitive. With Lawrence Stroll’s acquisition and Aston Martin’s entry into F1, the team made the decisive step that could put them in the position to fight for the title in the future. “Lawrence has a great desire to succeed in everything he does; he doesn’t want to finish second. And then he brings the necessary finances. People often say that money doesn’t buy success, but in F1, without money, you will never succeed.” A combination of ambition and resources has allowed Aston Martin to build a top-tier technology center and bring in top figures, like Adrian Newey, who may join in the near future. The former Team Principal has not closed the door on a potential return to motorsport’s top category, thanks to his experience and a strong resume. “I’d like to build a new team with the right people and be more competitive than half the grid in two or three years,” he said about his future aspirations. “Maybe a team with American backing, but it must be based in the heart of Britain’s Motorsport Valley.” – the former Team Principal of Alpine concluded.
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