Latest news with #OtmarSzafnauer
Al Arabiya
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Al Arabiya
F1 Team Alpine Appoints Steve Nielsen as Managing Director
Formula 1 team Alpine has appointed Steve Nielsen as managing director to oversee its daily operations. The team said in a statement Friday that Nielsen will start in his role in September ahead of the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. He will be reporting to the team's executive advisor Flavio Briatore. The pair has been enjoying a strong relationship for years. Nielsen's appointment came in the wake of Otmar Szafnauer's and Alan Permane's departure from the Team Principal and Sporting Director roles in July, moves that saw Briatore return to the team. The appointment marks a return to the team for Nielsen, who is one of the most long-standing and well-respected figures in the sport and has previously spent multiple stints at Enstone for Benetton and Renault – most notably as Sporting Director during the 2005 and 2006 championship-winning years, Alpine said. Nielsen has also worked with other teams and held roles at the FIA and Formula One. Alpine is sixth in the constructors' standings.
Malay Mail
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
‘Still finding ways to mess with me': Piastri laughs off Alpine jab after tense Austrian GP
LONDON, July 3 — McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri said cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration. The Australian made a comment after having to go off track to avoid Renault-owned Alpine's Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. 'Alpine still managed to find a way to (expletive) me over all these years later, huh?' he told race engineer Tom Stallard in an exchange not broadcast on television at the time. Piastri told Reuters at a McLaren fan event in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday that his swearing had just been spur of the moment. 'It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines. So, it was kind of just a build-up of a few things,' he said. 'And it was more out of frustration. 'I still have a lot of friends at Alpine. A lot of people that I respect a lot. 'It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah – more just me trying to express my humour and frustration in the race.' Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to very publicly reject the seat with a statement that has become part of Formula One lore. Then Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer questioned the driver's integrity and threatened legal action, but McLaren won easily when the matter went to the contract recognition board. Alpine are now last in the championship and are still going through turmoil, while McLaren won the constructors' title last year and are runaway favourites again. — AFP
Asharq Al-Awsat
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Just Frustration: Piastri Explains Radio Cursing at Alpine
McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri said cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration. The Australian made a comment after having to go off track to avoid Renault-owned Alpine's Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. "Alpine still managed to find a way to (expletive) me over all these years later, huh?," he told race engineer Tom Stallard in an exchange not broadcast on television at the time. Piastri told Reuters at a McLaren fan event in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday that his swearing had just been spur of the moment. "It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines. So, it was kind of just a build-up of a few things," he said. "And it was more out of frustration. "I still have a lot of friends at Alpine. A lot of people that I respect a lot. "It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah -- more just me trying to express my humor and frustration in the race." Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to very publicly reject the seat with a statement that has become part of Formula One lore. Then Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer questioned the driver's integrity, and threatened legal action, but McLaren won easily when the matter went to the contract recognition board. Alpine are now last in the championship, and are still going through turmoil, while McLaren won the constructors' title last year and are runaway favorites again.
CNA
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- CNA
Just frustration: Piastri explains radio cursing at Alpine
LONDON :McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri said cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration. The Australian made a comment after having to go off track to avoid Renault-owned Alpine's Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. "Alpine still managed to find a way to (expletive) me over all these years later, huh?," he told race engineer Tom Stallard in an exchange not broadcast on television at the time. Piastri told Reuters at a McLaren fan event in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday that his swearing had just been spur of the moment. "It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines. So, it was kind of just a build-up of a few things," he said. "And it was more out of frustration. "I still have a lot of friends at Alpine. A lot of people that I respect a lot. "It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah - more just me trying to express my humour and frustration in the race." Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to very publicly reject the seat with a statement that has become part of Formula One lore. Then Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer questioned the driver's integrity, and threatened legal action, but McLaren won easily when the matter went to the contract recognition board. Alpine are now last in the championship, and are still going through turmoil, while McLaren won the constructors' title last year and are runaway favourites again.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Otmar Szafnauer: 'I want to be prepared to be the successful bidder': Otmar Szafnauer targets heading 12th Formula 1 team amidst Cadillac's entry momentum
Seasoned Formula 1 veteran Otmar Szafnauer is already in the process of making a 12th team a reality in the F1 paddock after General Motors-backed Cadillac received the go-ahead to join the grid in 2026. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With almost three decades of experience in more than one F1 team, the American motorsport strategist feels the time to create a serious bid has come. Otmar Szafnauer feels Formula 1 is ready for a 12th team Former F1 Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer in conversation with Axios media correspondent Sara Fischer Otmar Szafnauer, former Team Principal at Alpine and Aston Martin, is a long-time believer in expanding the Formula 1 grid to 12 teams—and he is determined to be the main actor in making that vision a reality. Leveraging the recent inclusion of Cadillac as the 11th team for 2026, Szafnauer believes that there is a clear path for a suitably prepared and experienced squad to enter the championship. 'In my 28 years, there was a time where we had 12 teams in F1,' Otmar Szafnauer said in an Axios and The Race-hosted discussion. 'And prior to me joining – I signed my contract [with BAR] in '97 and joined in '98 – there were even more, when they used to have pre-qualifying. So I think there's room for a 12th team. And if a 12th team does happen, I want to be prepared, in order to be the successful bidder for the 12th team. So that's what I've been working on.' The announcement comes while the FIA and Liberty Media have indicated a willingness to entertain new entrants, subject to them living up to the sporting, financial, and technical high standards required of Formula 1 today. Citing Mercedes-AMG's Toto Wolff, Otmar Szafnauer feels that team principals who marry technical knowledge with business sense add a strategic dimension. 'If you can do both, and Toto can, I think you gain efficiencies,' he said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'You don't have to rely on somebody else. You lead the team yourself in both the commercial aspect as well as the technology aspect, and both are important these days. So yeah, you definitely gain efficiencies, and if you're owner/manager, you have a bit of skin in the game. Although there's huge passion in F1, there's just a little bit more.' This combined leadership approach is the foundation of Szafnauer's presentation, especially with the increasing commercial sophistication of Formula 1 and shrinking performance margins. With a career that features top jobs at BAR, Racing Point, Aston Martin, and Alpine, he believes that his blend of technical know-how and management skills particularly suits him to head a new operation. Also read: Otmar Szafnauer's desire to return to the Formula 1 grid as head of a 12th team marks a new and ambitious chapter in his illustrious career. As the sport grows its international reach and technical regulations come under review, Szafnauer is positioning himself as an able architect of a next-generation F1 team—that has competitive zeal combined with business solidity. Whether his bid is accepted or not, his aggressive approach sends a signal of increasing hunger for growth in the world's most premier motorsport series.
