F1 team Alpine parts ways with team prinicipal Otmar Szafnauer
Alpine driver Pierre Gasly of France steers his car during the first practice session ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium, Friday, July 28, 2023. The Belgian Formula One Grand Prix will take place on Sunday. Credit: AP/Geert Vanden Wijngaert
The Alpine Formula One team will part ways with team principal Otmar Szafnauer by mutual agreement following this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.
Alpine said in a statement Friday that Bruno Famin, who is the vice president of Alpine Motorsports, will assume the role of interim team principal following Sunday's race.
“The team would like to thank Otmar for his hard work over the past 18 months and for leading the team in achieving fourth place in the 2022 constructors’ championship,” Alpine said.
The decision comes amid a restructuring at Alpine, with sporting director Alan Permane leaving by mutual agreement and Pat Fry joining the Williams team as its chief technical officer.
The shakeup comes with Alpine in a disappointing sixth place in the constructors' championship and one week after drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly both went out of the Hungarian GP following a crash on Lap 1.
Alpine also lost star driver Fernando Alonso after he made a switch to join Aston Martin this season.
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