The BWT Alpine F1 team has named Otmar Szafnauer as its new team principal. The news is not unexpected, as Szafnauer was squeezed out of Aston Martin where team owner Lawrence Stroll put in Martin Whitmarsh to take over some of Szafnauer’s role. Stroll has since named Mike Krack as team principal.
The other big news from Alpine is that Bruno Famin has been appointed Executive Director of Alpine Racing in Viry-Châtillon, where he will be responsible for the development of the Renault power unit, working closely with Enstone to optimize its performance. Famin is a highly-qualified engineer, having graduated from two of France’s top engineering schools before being recruited to Peugeot in 1987. He was briefly with Jean Todt’s Peugeot Talbot Sport in 1993 but then went back into the industry until being named as head of the Peugeot Sport 908 Le Mans programme. He went on to to head up technical matters for Peugeot on the Dakar, at Pikes Peak and in rallycross. He left Peugeot in 2019 to become head of operations at FIA Sport and in rcent years has been at the forefront of the federation’s COVID response, a difficult job that he did successfully. With Todt leaving the FIA, it seems that Famin decided to look elsewhere and Alpine is a good place to be, although the team at Viry-Chatillon is largely focussed on research and development and there is now an engine freeze until 2026. The production and manufacturing work for Viry-Chatillon is still sub-contracted to Mécachrome.
The other big change is that Davide Brivio has been moved from his role as Racing Director of the F1 team to a new position as Director of Racing Expansion Projects, which will see him overseeing talent identification and development in all categories and looking into new motorsport categories for the brand.
Szafnauer, Famin and and Brivio will all be members of the Alpine Management Committee, which will be led by Laurent Rossi.
joeblogsf1 
Does Cyril get to visit a few races every year with his Mecachrome role? I feel like he’s wasted there, but you never know…
I wonder who will buy Enstone next? Renault are too embarrassed to have their name on it anymore, now named after one of the world’s smallest car brands.
As Renault don’t make exciting cars like Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, AMG, perhaps the little car brand Alpine was the driver as success in F1 will give it market space a d it becomes a bigger car brand.
After all when Renault won le-Mans in 1978 it was an Alpine-Renault.
Looks like a much better structure than before. The co-ordination between Enstone and Viry is key to at least beating the customer teams, before taking the fight to the top 3.
Funny how Team Enstone is re-inventing itself – it was a pioneer in the 1990s and although things move on, surely a semblance of the culture still remains?
No doubt Otmar knows very well that Alonso has plenty of previous with TPs…
I was speed reading this and for a moment thought Briatore rather than Brivio was back…….
F1 has moved on from such people.
He was mentioned the other week !
I also found myself wondering how the T-shirt Salesman ov Doom had managed to weasel his way back into the picture. Insufficient coffee, I reckon.
Well I hope they all fit together at Alpine now.
I’ve heard whispers and rumours about employee disharmony at Enstone. Any thoughts on this? True or merely a rumour?
Hi Noe thanks for following up the story, may I ask, how do you think Otmar will go at Alpine?
Do they have the team in place now to move up the grid?
I think that Pat Fry and his team will be the success or failure of the team, although the engine power is also a question.
I presume his first move will be to try to poach Lance Stroll. After all, he’s always said what a great driver he is.
You old cynic
You just made me laugh tea out of my nose! Excellent work.
Often surprises me, in many demanding generally sporting activities, how often someone performing at their best quite suddenly disappoints come a new season.
Very much hope that Fernando is still at his best. I had “me doots” at the beginning of last year but then he got sorted so maybe one more season is in the tank but I doubt if the hunger will last much longer.
Also hope all of the manoeuvering at Alpine/Renault are for the best. Large manufacturers are too often bedevilled by too may cooks and fiddling fingers.