Alpine’s Otmar Szafnauer outlines goals for upcoming season: “At a minimum, we must finish in fourth”

After succeeding in their mission to finish in the top four in 2022, BWT Alpine F1 Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer has defined the team’s objectives for the much-anticipated 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season. 

Szafnauer said that last year’s result was a major “milestone” in Alpine’s 100-race-long project to find themselves as consistent podium finishers by 2024, a plan set in place by Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi.

“This time of the year is often filled with both excitement and anticipation ahead of a new Formula 1 season. It was a fantastic feeling to reach our objectives in 2022 by finishing in a well-deserved fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship; a healthy and significant milestone on our 100-race plan as outlined by Laurent at the beginning of the season.”

Alpine spent much of the 2022 season neck-and-neck with McLaren F1 Team in the fight for fourth, and ended up taking the place by just fourteen points.The next step for the team, Szafnauer explained, is to finish at least fourth once again, but by a clearer margin than that of 2022. 

“We have just under 80 races left on this mission and I’m proud to lead the team on this journey. For 2023, the aim is simple: at a minimum, we must finish in fourth and in a much more convincing fashion.”

Szafnauer said that a key factor in the team’s ability to reach this goal will be to improve their reliability and keep retirements to a minimum. Six of Alpine’s seven retirements in 2022 were associated with technical problems, which led to them losing out on significant points. 

Overall, Szafnauer is confident in Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly to maximize results for the team, and the ability of all team members to work together in pursuit of their goals for the 2023 season. 

“By that, it means, more finishes, more points and less unforced retirements. I have high expectations from everyone in the team – not least Esteban and Pierre – who will work collaboratively to deliver the best possible results for the team.”