Otmar Szafnauer, once the helm of Force India, Racing Point and Alpine, announced he could return to Formula 1 in the future, though he will unlikely step back into a team‑principal post.
Looking to a different role in F1
During an episode of the High Performance Racing podcast, the 62‑year‑old discussed his fascination with the sport’s spirit of competition. He admitted, “I miss the competitive nature of Formula 1. What I don’t miss is the travel.”
Szafnauer added that he would bring value to a team “at the right level,” preferring an operational role to the full‑time executive. He said, “I’ve been there, done that,” and pointed out that many current principals arise from a race‑engineering background, a path he considers outside his skill set.
Criticism of modern leadership structures
Recounting his departure from Aston Martin, Szafnauer warned that “you can’t have two popes” when responsibilities are split. He explained that after Martin Whitmarsh arrived as group CEO, “within weeks he took most of my responsibilities, about 80 % of them.”
The former chief executive felt that Whitmarsh’s delegation of “20% of the track duties” demonstrated a tendency towards diluted leadership, a move Szafnauer believes undermines clear command and accountability.
New ventures after Alpine
Since leaving Alpine following the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix, Szafnauer has joined the High Performance Racing podcast alongside Jake Humphrey and Rob Smedley, offering insight from a seasoned F1 eye.
He now serves as chief executive officer of Van Amersfoort Racing, a Dutch junior‑formula club, and launched the EventR app, designed to streamline race‑day organization.
His future will remain speculative
While Szafnauer left the pace of travel behind, he retains the tactical zeal that once steered multiple teams to podiums. Whether his next chapter will be in F1 management, a mentorship role, or entirely off the track will become evident only as the next season unfolds.
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