Otmar Szafnauer’s tenure as Alpine’s team principal came to an abrupt end mid-season last year, with Bruno Famin taking over after the summer break.
Although he’s still officially on gardening leave, Szafnauer is candid about his aspirations, already keen to return to the sport.
Speaking recently to Motor Sport Magazine, he revealed that he’s been in contact with team owner Michael Andretti, hoping to be involved in Andretti’s potential Formula 1 project.
“I have had some discussions with Michael Andretti, he’d called me even before I went to Alpine, and I told him I’d love to help him,” Szafnauer said.
“They have to get the F1 entry first, because without an entry how can I help him? If they are accepted then I will be able to discuss getting involved, getting them started, getting them moving.”
However, Szafnauer may have to be patient, or rethink his comeback strategy, as Andretti’s bid to enter the sport has been rejected—at least for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. There may yet be an opportunity for Andretti to compete in Formula 1, but the application is unlikely to be reviewed again until after the new regulations have come into effect, leaving the door open for a potential 2028 entry.
“I’d like to continue but it’s got to be in a position where my experience, my skill sets, can be put to good use. I reckon I have another five to seven years in me,” Szafnauer added.
“Maybe I have too high an opinion of myself… but I believe I still hold the skill sets to enable me to put a good team together to be competitive in F1. So that’s what I want to do.
“Right now, I have the desire, but I am biding my time while I cannot compete due to the provisions of my gardening leave. Pretty soon, [2024] hopefully, I can get back into the sport. Problem is, I am a little bit impatient.”
Reflecting on his 18-month stint at Alpine, Szafnauer concluded that the senior management had expectations he had deemed unrealistic given the set time frame.
“Alpine’s senior bosses wanted success faster than was possible. I told them what was possible, and they said they didn’t have time for that.
“It seems they don’t understand that it takes time to change a culture, to get new skill sets where we didn’t have them.”
Szafnauer explained that he felt the team lacked the resources necessary to make a considerable step forward, but his proposals were met with resistance. He confirmed that this led to his sudden departure in July 2023.
“They simply don’t have the technical ability they need.”
“When I got there I told them they needed this stuff, and some new people. When you start recruiting you are lucky to get anyone within a year because of their multi-year contracts. And, of course, you need to offer them something they don’t have, like more responsibility,” he continued.
“I told Alpine I was making progress but their response was always ‘we don’t have time for this.’ That was the cause of our disagreement and I was given less than 10 days warning of their decision that led to my departure at the Belgian GP.”
