Perez’s former boss from his time at Racing Point, Otmar Szafnauer, is out of a job as of this week after becoming the latest in a long line of high-profile figures axed by Alpine
Sergio Perez admitted his shock at learning his former boss Otmar Szafnauer had been ousted by Alpine.
The 58-year-old had served as the Enstone squad’s team principal for a little over 18 months. But the axe fell at the Belgian Grand Prix, while long-serving sporting director Alan Permane is also out.
It came amid a disagreement between Szafnauer and the Renault board regarding expectations in the short-term. Alpine sit sixth in the constructors’ standings with a significant gap to McLaren above them and also Haas and Williams below.
The Renault top brass felt the team should be performing much better, while Szafnauer felt expectations were too high given the amount of investment put into the team and time he had been given to make an impact.