Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer says the image of Alpine has not been damaged by the Oscar Piastri saga, believing that it is down to how the team performs on track. The FIA's Contract Recognition Board ruled in Piastri's favour during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend that McLaren held a legally binding contract for the Australian to race with the team in 2023. As RacingNews365.com exclusively revealed , Alpine did not have an agreement for an F1 race seat deal signed with Piastri, after the team claimed a 'Terms Sheet' from November 2021 constituted as a legal contract. While Alpine's handling of the situation has been called into question, Szafnaur believes that the reputation of the team is based on their on-track results as opposed to what happens in a court room. "I think the image of Alpine is based on what happens on track and how we perform. And that's what we're focused on now," he told media, including RacingNews365.com. "We'll do the best we can. Not for just this year, but to continue to improve the team."
Alpine stick to goal of winning championship in next five years
Speaking about the future of the team, Szafnauer says this has not derailed their goal of winning a championship in the next five years. Even though they have only won one race since the Alpine re-brand from Renault, the team has already stated that it wants to match the top teams and regularly challenge for wins. Part of that has come from its recent recruitment drive, with it planning to exceed 900 staff members to match the other works manufacturer teams on the grid. Szafnauer explained: "We're on a recruiting drive, we're spending money on tools, we understand what It takes to compete amongst the top three. "That's our goal, with a goal of winning a World Championship in five years. "We've got to put the rudiments in place for that to happen. And we're in the middle of doing that. So, the best thing for Alpine’s image is to win on track, and that's what we're going to try to do."
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