The signing of Fernando Alonso by Aston Martin has started an earthquake in Alpine. Otmar Szafnauer is honest for the first time about what happened and his personal and professional relationship with the Spanish driver.
Since Aston Martin officially confirmed the signing of Fernando Alonso for 2023 on August 1, much has been said about Alpine, Otmar Szafnauer and the Spanish driver’s relationship with both.
But it is now when one of the main protagonists, and the one most pointed out as guilty of what happened, speaks about all this. It is said that the personal relationship between Fernando Alonso and Otmar Szafnauer is bad, that Alpine has underestimated the Spanish rider and that his departure is a consequence of all this. What does the director of Alpine have to say about it?
An unprecedented situation
In an interview given to The confidentialOtmar Szafnauer acknowledges that “It was the first time I have experienced something like this. Although I’m not completely surprised, because I’ve experienced other situations and stories from both sides, from the driver’s side and from the teams’ side. But, in my case, I had not experienced anything like that.
The director of Alpine does not take it personally, considering that this fight of negotiations and contracts is nothing more than “Capitalism at its finest. Nothing is certain until it is signed”.
“We had many conversations with Fernando, we wanted him to stayobviously he also had his with Aston Martin… So some details of the contract that were put on the table were more attractive to him than some of those that he had to discuss with us, “he acknowledges.
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integrity, trust
But just because the world works like this doesn’t mean one’s word is worthless, and Szafnauer says he is a man of his word. And he also explains why he told the press that he could not locate Alonso because the Spaniard was on a yacht on a Greek island.
«I cannot be so naive as not to know the rules of the game of Formula 1. But I believe that I am a man of integrity and that, if I commit to something, I will do everything possible to make it happen. I keep my word. But hey, I’ve understood that not everyone does things the same way, “laments Szafnauer.
“I like Fernando, I still like him, and the relationship between now and the end of the year is going to be focused on beating McLaren”
“Alonso told me on Sunday night that he was going to a Greek island on a boat. I called him a couple of times in the morning and couldn’t reach him. That’s what he told me, that it would be difficult to locate him, so that’s why he said that.”.
“I understand why Alonso is leaving”
Whether or not he agrees with the decision, Otmar Szafnauer says he understands that Fernando Alonso will go to Aston Martin, because he knows that it was very important for the two-time world champion to ensure a future in Formula 1 beyond 2023.
“You would have to ask him, but for Alonso a long-term commitment from the team was very important. A two-year contract, although it was one plus one. I think one of the keys for Fernando was the length of the contract.”recognize.
«He is performing at a very high level and I told him that, if he continued at that level, next year we would surely continue, we would be crazy not to do it. But, as for everyone in life, there comes a time when age affects your psychological abilities, your eyes, your brain, your muscles, your nervous system… they decline. For this reason, we thought that with Fernando it was a year, plus a year, plus a year. And he wanted guarantees of more time, “justifies Szafnauer regarding Alpine’s position.
When asked if money has been an important factor, Szafnauer says he does not know “how much they are going to pay him at Aston Martin. What I do know is that we offered him more money than we pay him now, which is logical. It was a figure that at the beginning he tried to negotiate, as everyone does, but in the end we reached an agreement, formally».
“But I do not know, I’ve heard rumors that you’ve been given a very high offer. I don’t know if it was a decisive factor, ask him. Bearing in mind that he was at Aston Martin last year, I could say that Fernando already had talks last year, or two years ago, really.”
The relationship between Szafnauer and Alonso
Many media and fans have pointed to a personal grudge between Otmar Szafnauer and Fernando Alonso as the main cause of the Spanish driver’s departure to Aston Martin. However, the Romanian raised in the United States denies that this is true.
“Yes, I get along very well with him from day one. And it is because he is a competitor, something that I like a lot. I am hugely competitive and similar to Fernando, there is nothing more I want than to achieve results, it is what motivates me », he argues.
“I see the same in Alonso. And that trait we have in common means that working together is very easy. I like it, I still like it, and the relationship between now and the end of the year is going to be focused on beating McLarenWe have to be fourth in the championship.”
For this reason, Szafnauer guarantees that Alpine will continue to offer Fernando Alonso the best of itself, something that Otmar believes the driver will also do.
“This competitive instinct also has Fernando. It doesn’t matter if he goes to Aston Martin next year. Once he puts on the helmet, he wants to do his best. And I am the same. He is a great driver, he is at a very high level, he is one of the best assets we have, with Fernando and Esteban Ocon scoring points every weekend.”
Faced with claims by many in the Formula 1 paddock that Fernando Alonso is a difficult and problematic driver, Szafnauer continues to defend the Spaniard, despite what has happened.
“I’ve heard those stories. For me, it’s the first year, and what I’ve seen is that he’s an incredibly competitive personality. If he has that reputation, it’s because he’s so, so competitive that he’ll do anything to get the best possible finish in a race. Sometimes people misunderstand this.”Szafnauer says.
“I remember back in the McLaren days, complaining on the radio about the ‘GP2 engine’. I’m sure the people at Honda didn’t sit too well, but it was frustration because they wanted to do better. It’s the same in our team, many of the people worked with him before, at Benetton and then at Renault, and he’s part of the family, so there’s nothing like that, not in our team.”he concludes.
Font: The confidential
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Photos: Alpine F1 Team