Former F1 boss makes damning cost cap claim against huge team

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F1 News & Gossip

Former F1 boss makes damning cost cap claim against huge team

Otmar Szafnauer reveals areas Alpine were lacking in when he joined

Shay Rogers

Sunday 17 December 2023 09:12

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Former F1 team boss Otmar Szafnauer has revealed that Alpine were well below the cost cap when he assumed control of the Enstone based outfit.

Alpine have struggled to deliver according to their long-term visions of the last few years, lapping consistently in the middle of the Formula 1 pack.

The odd good result has outlined their potential, such as Esteban Ocon’s win at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, but the team remain held back due to a number of reasons.

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An under-performing engine and continuous staff changes have failed to provide Alpine with the stable platform required to compete with the top teams in the sport.

Otmar Szanauer now recalls the situation at the team after he joined in 2022, which left him with plenty of room to adjust the team’s structure.

Otmar Szafnauer has worked in motorsport for well over 30 years

Alpine have plenty of room for improvement as they chase the front of the F1 pack

Pierre Gasly performed well during his first season with Alpine

Szafnauer: We were not at the cap

“Yes, but that assumes you’re already at the cap,” he told Peter Windsor on his YouTube channel about Alpine’s situation. “If you’re not, then there’s headroom to hire. Which we had at Alpine because we were not at the cap.

“So, when I got there, we were double-digit millions below the cap, so we had headroom to hire.

“I always had the philosophy of you shouldn’t make change for the sake of change,” he said. “You need to have a good understanding and make change in areas that you know are going to be better because you’re changing them, and that’s exactly what I did at Alpine.

“So, I took some time, understood the areas that were lacking, and then started making changes. When I got there, there was no separate aero performance group for example.

“But by the time I left, I recruited a new head of that group, separated it from the aerodynamics group, and then started recruiting people underneath. That’s just one example.”

Alpine face an uphill task to improve in 2024 but are fortunate to have a talented French duo at the helm in the form of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.

Both have proven F1 experience and know what direction the car needs to go in to become quicker after spending a season together.