Alpine kicks out Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and Sporting Director Alan Permane amidst MASSIVE revamp
Alpine have taken a major step to correct their declining results.
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Otmar Szafnauer
Alpine are stepping it up with a surprising move to improve their position in the current Formula One season. The French squad have announced a big change in their team’s officials. The team has had quite some ups and down this season with their new lineup of Pierre Gasly accompanying Esteban Ocon. In the last two Grands Prix at Britain and Hungary, both of them succumbed to DNFs, while their direct rival McLaren scored podium wins.
Alpine’s declining performance has come as a tight slap to all the fans who had rejoiced their P4 position in the World Constructors’ Championship last year. The drop in their results is quite apparent as the Enstone outfit occupies the sixth position in the points table as of now, with a massive gap of 40 points to McLaren. This had led to the team owners taking the difficult decision to replace two key members in their organisation.
Thus, right ahead of the Belgian GP, which will be the last race the F1 fans see before the summer break, Alpine made a shocking announcement. Their Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer, who had joined them in 2022 after leaving Aston Martin, will be dismissed from his post with immediate effect. Also leaving the French outfit alongwith Szafnauer will be Alane Permane, the British engineer who had served there since 2012.
Two back-to-back double DNFs seem to have been Alpine’s last straw
Alpine emerged as a strong force last year thanks to Fernando Alonso’s amazing performances that took the team above McLaren in the charts. They had finished their run in 2022 at P4 with 173 points to their name. But the same feat could not be repeated this season till now. Alonso left them for Aston Martin, and they landed in a battle with McLaren over recruiting Oscar Piastri. Finally, they had to settle with AlphaTauri alumnus Pierre Gasly. As of now, they have garnered only 47 points. And their double DNF at Britain and Hungary did not help.
Alpine are going to usher in a new Team Principal to replace Szafnauer now. On the other hand, it has been rumored that the former Ferrari leader Mattia Binotto is in the running to take up Szafnauer’s position. While no official confirmation has come from the Enstone outfit, it remains to be seen whom they choose to steer the team towards a much-needed podium victory and soom consistent results in this season.
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Riddhi Mondal
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