In F1 where victories are celebrated and defeats are analyzed, the Belgian GP brought an unexpected twist to the already tumultuous season. Amidst the thrilling races and dramatic moments, a bombshell announcement sent shockwaves through the paddock: Otmar Szafnauer, the Team Principal of Alpine, will be leaving the French team following the race at Spa-Francorchamps. In the space of just 10 minutes on a dramatic Friday afternoon at Spa, Alpine announced the departure of Szafnauer, who had taken the reins at the Enstone outfit just 18 months ago.

Alpine announced the departure of not only Szafnauer but also Sporting Director Alan Permane and Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry. This came as a surprise, especially after the team had recently secured a substantial cash injection from investors, including Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds. The team failed to live up to the lofty expectations set by Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo, who aimed for a P4 finish in the constructors’ championship and a reduction in the performance gap to the top three teams. However, Alpine struggled to match these expectations, slipping to sixth place in the standings and facing operational errors and reliability issues.

In the midst of these challenges, the leadership team faced disagreement over the timeline to achieve success. Szafnauer and Permane argued that it would take until 2026 to meet De Meo’s targets, while the CEO desired quicker results. This clash of opinions ultimately led to their departure. Amidst the mounting pressure, Szafnauer decided to retaliate or revenge in a bold move, “Otmar Szafnauer leaving before the race even starts…”

However, Szafnauer remains steadfast in his belief that changes take time and that rushing development without the right people in place is impractical. He emphasized this with an analogy: “You can’t get nine women pregnant and hope you have a baby in a month.”

‘Can’t Have a Baby in a Month’: Days After Brutal Betrayal, Otmar Szafnauer Lashes Out at Alpine in Fiery Outburst

4-time world champion Alain Prost has expressed deep sadness and distress over the direction the team has taken with which he was previously associated as well.

Alain Prost expresses concerns over Otmar Szafnauer’s sacking

Alain Prost, who served as an advisor for the team, believes that the French sportscar maker’s crucial mistake was allowing excessive corporate influence to affect its decisions. In an interview with L’Equipe, Prost emphasized the importance of a simple, focused structure built around strong personalities and winning drivers, citing successful examples from F1 history like Ferrari with Todt, Brawn, and Schumacher, Mercedes with Wolff, Lauda, Allison, and Hamilton, and Red Bull with Horner, Newey, Vettel, and Verstappen.

The French champ pointed out that these teams were backed by CEOs who understood and supported F1 efforts, a trait he found lacking at Renault. Prost criticized Alpine’s former boss, Laurent Rossi, as a classic example of the Dunning-Kruger effect, an inept manager who overestimates his competence. He believed Rossi’s management stalled the team’s progress, hindering the momentum they had built since 2016 with podium finishes and victories.

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Will Alpine F1 find the right balance between corporate influence and motorsport expertise to reclaim their former glory, or is the team’s recent shake-up just the beginning of a larger downfall?

WATCH THIS STORY | Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney Invested $0 to Acquire 24% Stake in Alpine F1 as Wrexham Masterplan Continues to Pay Dividends