Alpine group principal Oliver Oakes has responded to feedback from Otmar Szafnauer hitting out on the Renault management, asserting his Formulation 1 group is “very fortunate to have that help”.
Szafnauer was Alpine’s group principal from February 2022 to July 2023. They subsequently parted methods as a result of American and Renault CEO Luca de Meo disagreeing on the group’s timeline for achievement, as a number of key figures from the squad have been proven the door.
On the time, Alpine was following a 100-race plan launched by Laurent Rossi, then Alpine CEO, in October 2021 “to succeed in a stage of competitiveness that locations us on the rostrum as many instances as doable in 2024” earlier than reaching the entrance of the grid the following yr – which Szafnauer felt was too bold, reckoning success was doable on the long run.
Seventy-four grands prix have taken place because the now-abandoned 100-race plan was launched, and Alpine achieved simply 4 top-eight finishes in 2024 – together with its sensational double podium on the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Requested in April 2024 whether or not Renault understood what it took to achieve success in F1, Szafnauer retorted: “Not from what I noticed.
“I feel the most effective factor, and never simply Renault however for giant automobile firms to do – and I’ve seen it so much, even with automobile firms which have racing as a part of their DNA: they should not meddle. Go away it! It is a lot totally different from a automobile firm, it’s best to simply depart it to the consultants.”
Otmar Szafnauer, Staff Principal, Alpine F1 Staff
Photograph by: James Sutton / Motorsport Photographs
Oakes, who took up the group principal mantle after interim boss Bruno Famin departed in August 2024, acknowledged there have been ‘components of fact’ in Szafnauer’s opinion however nonetheless defended the Renault management’s strategy.
“What I might say is that it isn’t all the time one dimension matches all,” Oakes informed Motorsport.com in an unique interview.
“I feel it is truthful to say that components of it are true – and he is an excellent mate, he is been right here earlier than – however I feel folks must also keep in mind who pays the payments and who helps the group. And from my viewpoint, we’re very fortunate to have that help.
“It is simple to all the time level the finger at anyone who’s ‘meddling’, however generally it’s a must to ask your self, properly, why have they got to become involved? Is it as a result of we’re not dealing with the stuff? Is it as a result of we actually have taken our eye off the ball? You may get pissed off at first, however you then step again and also you say, ‘Really, we most likely ought to have achieved that higher, however we did not need to hear that.’
“I do not assume there’s any want to cover issues. I do not assume there’s any must hold them at arm’s size. I feel on the finish of the day we’ve to work collectively. We’ve got to construct that belief. F1 is a posh enterprise, as is the automotive world, and you may’t get it proper on a regular basis. I feel clearly what’s occurred earlier than – everybody has their views, their opinions.
“From my aspect, possibly issues are a bit totally different now. Possibly Luca has extra direct contact with me and Flavio [Briatore, Alpine’s executive advisor since May 2024]. Possibly the group has needed to hit a little bit of all-time low to reset. I do not know. On the finish of the day none of that’s stopping you from making an excellent race automobile.”
Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photographs
Oakes is now tackling his first full season on the helm of the Alpine squad and can be forgiven for any sense of trepidation after the outfit modified group principals in every of the final 4 years.
“All people says to me, do you are feeling it like a weight in your shoulders or a stress? And I actually see it otherwise,” the Briton insisted. “There is no grasp plan. There is no stuff that is been stated earlier than, ‘100 races’ and all that. We simply must get higher. We’ve got to be a well-run group.
“And I feel we simply must give attention to ourselves. And even with all of the noise concerning the energy unit and all of the discuss promoting and all that form of garbage, I feel folks have already seen that we’re simply not likely going to be bothered by that anymore. We’re simply going to maintain our heads down.”
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Ben Vinel
Formulation 1
Alpine
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