Reports surfaced this week linking Szafnauer to a possible move to Alpine as part of the reorganization of the French team in the near future.
Szafnauer, who has long served as head of the Silverstone-based F1 team since the days of Force India and Racing Point, was recently joined as Group CEO at Aston Martin by former McLaren F1 chief Martin Whitmarsh.
Szafnauer used Instagram to describe the reports on Thursday evening as “pure media speculation and not based on facts”. Aston Martin had also responded to a request for comment by describing it as a “speculative guess”.
This led Szafnauer to ponder his future during the FIA press conference in Interlagos on Friday, where he said he was “as surprised as anyone” to read the reports.
“It’s always humbling and flattering to say when Alpine is reorganizing, I think [Alpine CEO] Laurent Rossi said that in Mexico the media speculate that someone might want me there, “said Szafnauer.” It’s always nice to be wanted. “
When asked by Motorsport.com if he could categorically say he would be with Aston Martin next year, Szafnauer said: “I’ve been on the team for 12 years, I have no intention of leaving.
“I love this team. Most of the senior managers, particularly through Racing Point, have been self-recruited and deployed and I have no intention of leaving them.
“I stayed loyal to this team. I have had many, many offers in the 12 years that I’ve worked for this team, especially in the days of bankruptcy and bankruptcy.
“I could have gone many times, but I’m loyal to the staff there.”
During the remainder of the press conference, Szafnauer was given a number of opportunities to directly deny that he had any contact with Alpine, or that he might, but did not, join them in the future.
Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal and CEO, Aston Martin F1, is interviewed
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Szafnauer was asked if there was no way he would come to Alpine in the future, to which he replied: “I learned a long, long time ago that it was impossible to predict the future. And if I could do that, I’d be in Vegas now. “
Szafnauer said he hadn’t spoken to Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll about the reports but was certain they would catch up at some point soon.
“We didn’t talk about rumors,” said Szafnauer. “There’s a lot going on in the media that we don’t talk about.”
Despite “reluctance to disclose contract details,” Szafnauer confirmed that he had “a long-term contract with Aston” when asked by Motorsport.com if he had a contract for the next year.
Noting that “many, many teams” had contacted him about a possible job this year when asked if he had any contact with Alpine, Szafnauer referred to a press conference held seven months ago that he thought that she could have triggered the reports.
“I think it was when I was sitting next to Laurent Rossi [Jonathan] McEvoy asked if Aston Martin was recruiting a CEO for my job and I didn’t know about it, “said Szafnauer.
“Rossi jokingly said, ‘Ah, if you go, come talk to us,’ and that’s it. I don’t know if that was the trigger for the Auto Hebdo article.”
Szafnauer added: “As I said, I’m fully committed to the team I’m on. I’ve been there forever. I don’t plan to leave.”
“I have to concentrate on the rest of the season. The season didn’t go quite as we thought it would go.”
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