![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/alpine-admit-there-was-no-plan-for-otmar-szafnauer-axe-as-likely-replacement-emerges/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/0_Bruno-Famin-Otmar-Szafnauer-Alpine-main-AP-GETTY.jpg&description=Team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane were sacked by Alpine at the Belgian Grand Prix after a disagreement over the F1 team's ambitions Bruno Famin has admitted there was "no plan" for Alpine to cut ties with Otmar Szafnauer before the decision was made to do exactly that. Szafnauer joined the team ahead of the 2022 season and guided them to a fourth-placed finish in the constructors' standings. It was regarded as an impressive success for Alpine, to see off rivals McLaren and finish as best of the rest behind F1's 'big three'. But results so far this season have not been as impressive and the team sits sixth in the standings. Suddenly at the beginning of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, the team announced that it would be Szafnauer's last Grand Prix in charge. It quickly became clear that the decision was driven by the board at Renault, which owns the team and the Alpine brand. Szafnauer had not been on board with the timeline for success expected by those in power at the French carmaker. Bruno Famin, Alpine's vice-president of motorsport, is in temporary charge until a permanent successor is appointed. And the Frenchman has admitted that, although there has been an ongoing process of change behind the scenes, axing Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane was not part of the plan. "I had no real idea because the idea was always to be alongside everybody," he said. "If the idea is to really to use all the skills on all the people we have at Enstone and at the end if we have chosen mutually to go for a different route with Alan or Otmar on the team is because we were not fully aligned. The new football season is nearly upon us and with 500 live games to watch, as well access to Cricket, Golf, F1, Boxing, NFL and the NBA across eight dedicated channels, Sky Sports is the only way to watch all the action. Get Sky Sports from £22 a month "The decision has not been taken three months ago. It's a process where we talk about what we need to){kind=link}
Team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane were sacked by Alpine at the Belgian Grand Prix after a disagreement over the F1 team’s ambitions
Bruno Famin has admitted there was “no plan” for Alpine to cut ties with Otmar Szafnauer before the decision was made to do exactly that.
Szafnauer joined the team ahead of the 2022 season and guided them to a fourth-placed finish in the constructors’ standings. It was regarded as an impressive success for Alpine, to see off rivals McLaren and finish as best of the rest behind F1’s ‘big three’.
But results so far this season have not been as impressive and the team sits sixth in the standings. Suddenly at the beginning of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, the team announced that it would be Szafnauer’s last Grand Prix in charge.
It quickly became clear that the decision was driven by the board at Renault, which owns the team and the Alpine brand. Szafnauer had not been on board with the timeline for success expected by those in power at the French carmaker.