Szafnauer addresses Alpine future after management changes

Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer has dismissed concerns over his future after a management reshuffle at the French brand.

Former CEO Laurent Rossi has been moved to 'special projects', with Philippe Krief taking on the mantle.

The change follows the promotion of Bruno Famin to Vice President, Alpine Motorsports earlier this month, with Szafnauer now reporting to him and not the company CEO.

Asked whether any further changes were likely around his position within the F1 team, Szafnauer told media including RacingNews365: "It shouldn't have an impact on my management of the team whatsoever.

"I have been there for about a year and a half now and the plans that I have already put in place, we are going to continue to pursue.

"The infrastructure we have embarked on, we are continuing to pursue and some of the hires that we are looking for, some like-minded individuals, that's still happening.

"Bruno has been with us for over a year in Viry and also in endurance racing and Dakar, and this just adds F1, though he is part of F1 already so it is not really that big of a change.

"On the corporate side, there is a new CEO of Alpine Cars, whose focus will be Alpine Car and not Formula 1."

Rossi caused a stir earlier this season when labelling the F1 outfit as 'amateurish' during a Miami Grand Prix tirade.

On whether the Frenchman would remain in contact with the operation, Szafnauer replied: "I have been told that he is moving to special projects and no more than that, but I don't think his involvement will be Formula 1."

Szafnauer joined Alpine as Team Principal early last season after leaving Aston Martin and has set in stone a 100-race plan to lead the Enstone-and-Viry-based squad to the top of F1.

That hasn't yet come to fruition and asked whether there was enough F1 experience within the team after the latest reshuffle, Szafnauer explained: "I have been doing this for 26 years now in F1 and 33 years in motorsport.

"If you look beyond me, and the team that we have, we are very experienced at Enstone so absolutely, I believe we have the experience."