Ex-Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer reportedly set to join F1-bound American team

Szafnauer was sacked just after the Belgium GP.

Ex-Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer reportedly set to join F1-bound American team

Otmar Szafnauer (Credits: Autoweek)

Alpine’s parent company Renault recently went on a firing spree due to disappointing results from the team. They underwent a complete management change, which involved brutal sackings of important figures like Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi, team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane, among many others. Recent reports suggest that Szafnauer is now on his way to joining an American organization looking to join F1.

While the organization’s name remains unknown, big names known to be looking to join F1 are Ford and Cadillac. Ford is already set on joining F1 with Red Bull by replacing Honda as their power unit supplier from 2026, and they already have links with Szafnauer as he has worked for the automotive giant for 12 years in the past. Andretti Autosport is also in the process of joining F1, with their team to be called ‘Andretti Cadillac’.

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With F1’s increase in investment in the United States and the increase in the sport’s popularity in the country, F1 could see much more involvement of U.S based companies in different capacities. F1’s media rights owner Liberty Media is also an American Company, which improves the chances of companies like Cadillac to enter F1. It will be interesting to see if Szafnauer will join the Red Bull group or Abdretti if what F1 journalist Joe Saward reported is true.

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In case you missed it: Christian Horner gives his verdict on Alpine’s sacking of Otmar Szafnauer and Alan Permane

Fernando Alonso slams Otmar Szafnauer for not reaching targets at Alpine

Fernando Alonso and Otmar Szafnauer
Fernando Alonso and Otmar Szafnauer (Credits: PlanetF1)

Fernando Alonso made his F1 return with Alpine in 2021. He finished the 2021 and 2022 seasons with Alpine in the tenth and ninth positions in the WDC, respectively. He switched to Aston Martin in 2023 after Szafnauer was reluctant to hand him an extension due to his age.

Alonso told Szafnauer to be “quiet,” saying that the results of Alpine do not put him in a position to be proud. Alonso was also unhappy about how the Alpine team managed him due to their comments about his age, saying they were still handling things the same way.

All these comments about the age and whatever, which they [Rossi and Szafnauer] are still doing. It is the way they do things. Because after this year, he [Szafnauer] should be quiet. He should not talk at all… The results he’s achieving, he’s still talking and still proud of the decision, which is incredible, amazing,” said Alonso.

Alonso also talked about how Alpine underestimated him. He said, “When you are doing the best you can every weekend, when I did so many things for Renault as well, you take a little bit personal when someone is doubting your performance or your age or these kinds of things.”

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