Zoom Call Dismissal: Otmar Szafnauer Opens Up About His Abrupt Exit from Alpine F1

Title: The Abrupt Dismissal of a Former Alpine F1 Team Leader via Zoom

Otmar Szafnauer shares his thoughts on being let go from Alpine in 2023.

Otmar Szafnauer has shared the specifics of his dismissal from Alpine, revealing that Renault executives notified him through a Zoom call.

During the weekend of the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix, Szafnauer was removed from his position as the team principal of the Alpine F1 team.

He had taken over the role just 18 months ago following his move from Aston Martin.

Although Alpine was not yet able to compete with the leaders of the pack, they solidified their position at the forefront of the midfield by securing two podium finishes in the 2023 season.

Despite his efforts, Renault's senior executives decided to dismiss him during the Spa-Francorchamps race weekend.

In a conversation on the High Performance podcast, Szafnauer shared his thoughts on being let go: "I was informed during a Zoom meeting with the head of HR at Renault, specifically from the Renault Group," he explained.

In discussing his dismissal, Szafnauer explained that there was a disagreement regarding the necessary changes to the team's culture.

He stated, "There were recommendations for altering the corporate culture in a manner that I believed was not appropriate."

"I understand how to transform a company's culture into one that fosters both a winning mindset and psychological safety, and I was in the process of doing just that."

"They aimed to alter the corporate culture in an unusual way by dismissing some long-serving employees who were performing well. I believe that if you remove those who excel at their jobs, the message conveyed is that doing well leads to being let go. This is not the type of culture you would ideally want to foster."

While the American was not present, Alpine experienced a challenging and unsuccessful season in 2024.

They currently hold the ninth position in the F1 constructors' championship standings and have decided to discontinue their engine development plans for the 2026 season.

Analyzing Alpine's difficulties, he remarked: "The issues aren't due to my departure. They stem from the departure of many people."

"The individuals who departed performed quite well. The majority have since joined different teams."

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