Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi has warned that there\u2019s going to be ramifications if the F1 team\u2019s form isn\u2019t getting better. He also hinted that current team principal Otmar Szafnauer could be axed from his position. After finishing fourth in the constructors\u2019 championship last year ahead of McLaren, Alpine currently occupy the sixth spot after the opening five rounds of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alpine\u2019s form has been a topsy-turvy ride in F1 2023, with their inconsistency, rather than a lack of pace, the reason for their not-so-great points tally. The French team upped their chances over the winter of closing the gap to the top three teams, which they have done to Ferrari and Mercedes, but it\u2019s still not good enough to fight for the podium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a remarkable interview with F1.com, Rossi appeared to use some harsh language towards Szafnauer and warned about his future with the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe is responsible for the performance of the team, that\u2019s his job,\u201d he added. \u201cThere is no hiding here. Otmar was brought in to steer the team, through the season and the next seasons towards the objectives that we have, which is to constantly make progress, as we did in the first two years \u2013 fifth and fourth \u2013 and to get to the podiums and therefore, this is his mission to turn this team around and bring it to the performance that we want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe had a team that performed reasonably well last year, got the fourth position which is the best improvement we had in a long time. It showed a lot of promise. It\u2019s more of less the same people so I don\u2019t accept that we are not capable of maintaining that. Yes, it is Otmar and the rest of his team as Otmar alone doesn\u2019t do everything, but the buck stops with Otmar. It\u2019s Otmar\u2019s responsibility, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rossi confirmed that he won\u2019t wait until the end of the year to make changes if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n