Otmar Szafnauer joins Alpine as their new team principal just one month after leaving Aston Martin and has set the French F1 manufacturer the goal of challenging for the championship ‘within the next 100 races’
- Alpine have revealed Otmar Szafnauer will be their new team principal for 2022
- Bruno Famin also joins as executive director of Renault’s Viry engine operation
- Szafnauer left Aston Martin last month after 12 years at the Silverstone-outfit
Alpine have appointed former Aston Martin boss Otmar Szafnauer as their new team principle as part of a wider management restructure at the Renault-owned Formula One outfit.
The 57-year-old left Aston Martin last month after just over 12 years at the team – going back to the days when they were known as Force India.
Szafnauer will work alongside newly-appointed Bruno Famin, who has been made executive director of Renault’s Viry engine operation after leaving a role at the FIA.
Otmar Szafnauer has joined Alpine as their new team principle just a month after leaving Aston Martin
Racing director David Brivio has also been placed in a new role where he will oversee the development of young driver talent as well as Alpine’s involvement in other racing categories.
A goal has been set for Alpine to fight for the championship within the next 100 races.
Szafnauer said in a statement on the team’s website: ‘I am thrilled to join BWT Alpine F1 Team and ready to get to work with everyone to achieve our challenge: bring the team to fight for the championship within the next 100 races.’
Safnauer has set Alpine the goal of challenging for the title within the next 100 races
‘My attention is focused on preparing for the start of the season in Bahrain. As one of the three car manufacturers involved in Formula 1, Alpine is fully armed to achieve its ambition, I can’t wait to start the journey.’
Alpine will again be represented by double world champion Fernando Alonso and F1’s newest race winner Esteban Ocon.
Alonso was the last man to guide Alpine, then going under the name of Renault, to a championship in 2006 when he beat Michael Schumacher to the title.
Ocon stunningly claimed victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix last season and has previously worked with Szafnauer at Racing Point – which became Aston Martin last season.
CEO Laurent Rossi believes the additions of Szafnauer and Famin will help push the team closer to the top of the F1 grid.
He said: “With Otmar and Bruno joining the team, we move to a new level for 2022.
‘Otmar will bring his unique experience in motorsports and his uncompromising desire to win, while Bruno’s proven track record in building technologies that make a difference in competition and their subsequent transference to road cars is critical for our project as a sports team and as a brand.’
Double world champion Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon will again drive for Alpine in 2022 (pictured celebrating Ocon’s victory in Hungary last season)
He added: ‘Our band of racers is complete and ready to bring the team towards its ambitious objectives in 2022.’
Szafnauer joined F1 in 1998 with British American Racing as operations director before joining Honda and later the Force India outfit.
He is a well respected figure down the paddock, after leading the Silverstone outfit to a best of fourth in the constructors’ championship.
Going under the team name Racing Point, they took their first victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix with now Red Bull driver Sergio Perez.
The French outfit are hoping to make a big step forward in the 2022 season with the regulation changes.
Alpine will pull the covers off their new car on February 21 – two days before pre-season testing gets underway in Barcelona.