Otmar Szafnauer explains his reasons for leaving Aston Martin

At the beginning of the year, Otmar Szafnauer ended twelve years of collaboration with Force India, meanwhile renamed Racing Point then Aston Martin. The American now moved to Alpine returned to his departure and his relationship with Lawrence Stroll.

Published on 16/05/2022 à 11:37

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Otmar Szafnauer explains his reasons for leaving Aston Martin

After his arrival at Alpine F1, Otmar Szafnauer looks back on his departure from Aston Martin. © Photo Antonin Vincent / DPPI

After a little over twelve years of good and loyal service at Force India, Racing Point and Aston Martin, Otmar Szafnauer decided to fold his saplings at the start of the year. Free from any contract, it is withinAlpine that the American was still bouncing back as team principal. This time, it's with Laurent Red that the new leader of the Blues collaborates after having rubbed shoulders with Vijay Mallya, the Indian businessman, or even the new boss of Aston Martin, Lawrence Stroll.

His relationship with the Canadian entrepreneur was one of the reasons which pushed him to leave the Silverstone-based team. “ The Catholic Church can only have one pope, when you have two popes it's just not good. So I think it was time to leave, and leave Aston Martin to its only pope », explained Otmar Szafnauer in March.

This dig, which was initially thought to be aimed at his former boss, was ultimately addressed to Martin Whitmarsh, the managing director of Aston Martin Performance. Arrived in September 2021, the Briton reshuffled the cards at the head of the British team and the collaboration between the three men simply no longer worked.

« Once they brought in Martin Whitmarsh... That's the other pope I was talking about. For both of us to sit in the same space and try to do the same thing, it didn't really work. But it wasn't about Lawrence. Lawrence is still the owner and boss there. I have a boss here, Laurent, and it's clear and clear, and that's how things should be », specifies the American in an interview for Formula 1.

His experience at Aston Martin is now a thing of the past and it's safe Alpine let Otmar Szafnauer concentrate fully now. Still “young” in the ranks of the French team, the new main team is still making its mark. “ The funny thing is… because the others moved and I moved a little, I got here and I know a lot of people I've worked with before, which is helpful », underlines Otmar Szafnauer. With the A arrow training, the new sportsman strongman among the Blues is responsible for the execution of Laurent Rossi's plan to move the constructor back to the top of the Formula 1. After 5 Grands Prix this season, Alpine is in 6th place in the Manufacturers ranking with 26 units, far from the expected start.

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