Alpine has faced difficulties this season in its pursuit to secure the fourth spot in the championship, a position it managed to earn last season.
In response to these struggles, Luca de Meo, the group CEO of Alpine’s parent company Renault, took immediate measures. He substituted Laurent Rossi, Alpine’s CEO, with Philippe Krief before the recent Hungarian Grand Prix.
Alpine unveiled more management alterations on Friday, with team leader Szafnauer and veteran sporting director Alan Permane stepping down before the summer hiatus.
Famin, when questioned about the comprehensive management overhaul, revealed that the team’s vision of progress speed didn’t align with Szafnauer’s anymore.
“We had differing perspectives and timelines on how to regain or achieve the performance level we were striving for, hence we decided to part ways,” expressed Famin.
Upon further probing by F1 Flow.com about the diverging timelines of Szafnauer and Alpine, Famin responded, “Our viewpoints on how to proceed differ. It certainly involves timelines, but I think we don’t share the same approach towards implementation.”
Apart from Rossi, Szafnauer, and Permane, Alpine’s chief technical officer, Pat Fry, is also exiting, set to join Williams.
Despite the extensive management changes, Famin insists this doesn’t postpone their ambition to compete for the championship in their 100-race plan.
The photograph of Esteban Ocon, Alpine A523 is credited to Zak Mauger / F1 Flow Images.
Famin describes the current situation as the “second phase of the Alpine plan. It’s not a step back, but a step forward.
“Although there are a lot of changes, it provides a chance to strengthen our foundation to advance more rapidly.
“The main goal is to start winning races and championships as early as possible. We need to consistently enhance our cars, the entire package, from one race to another, from one year to the next.
“We are aware that it’s a challenge. We know that regulatory changes usually provide a good opportunity for changing rankings and it’s a fairly realistic goal but it won’t happen overnight.
“We’ll strive for continuous improvement.”
Famin’s initial task is to take advantage of the mandatory summer break to evaluate the areas where the team can improve.
“I’ll be assessing the actual situation with the entire team. I’ll allot sufficient time to this assessment,” he mentioned further.
“The results are not in line with our expectations. We held the fourth position last year, with aspirations to retain it and potentially inch closer to third.
“We aren’t where we intended to be and will strive hard with the teams, alongside the Enstone and Viry groups, to derive the maximum performance from our car.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Alpine Management Reshuffle
Why did Alpine replace its CEO and make further management changes?
Who took over as Alpine’s CEO?
Philippe Krief took over as Alpine’s CEO, replacing Laurent Rossi before the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Who else departed from Alpine’s management?
Apart from Laurent Rossi, the team leader Szafnauer and long-time sporting director Alan Permane also left Alpine’s management. The chief technical officer, Pat Fry, is set to move to Williams.
What does Alpine’s management reshuffle mean for its 100-race plan?
Despite the management reshuffle, Alpine’s objective of competing for the championship in its 100-race plan is not delayed. The reshuffle is considered the second phase of the Alpine plan, aimed at advancing further and faster.
What is Alpine’s primary objective moving forward?
Alpine’s key objective moving forward is to win races and championships as early as possible. The team is focused on continuous improvement of their cars and performance from race to race, year to year.
6 comments
They talk about continuous improvement, but its a game of speed after all. hope they can keep pace with the changes!
Wow, Alpine’s going through some major changes! hopefully it pays off. you know what they say, no pain, no gain.
well change is sometimes good, sometimes bad. will be interesting to see how this shakes up the F1 scene. watch this space people.
not sure bout this, hope they know what theyre doing. The pit stops gonna be busy, not just with tires but with all the new faces!
Can’t believe Szafnauer’s leaving. big changes. but I trust Famin. Seems like he’s got a solid plan ahead.
Famin seems to be pretty confident about this.. like they say – “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity”. Good luck to them!