The Enstone-based squad discovered itself within the firing line from Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi over the Miami GP weekend, as he lashed out at its lack of outcomes this yr.
“I am noting not solely an apparent lack of efficiency and rigour within the supply, but additionally doubtlessly a mind-set that isn’t as much as this workforce’s previous requirements,” Rossi informed Canal+
Rossi additionally mentioned he was removed from impressed on the triple whammy of penalties Esteban Ocon earned in Bahrain, in addition to the issues that marred the squad’s weekend in Baku.
“I didn’t like the primary grand prix, as a result of there was a variety of – I am sorry for saying this – amateurishness, which led to a consequence that wasn’t proper. It was mediocre, dangerous.
“And the final race in Baku was tremendously much like the one in Bahrain. That isn’t acceptable.”
Regardless of the exceptional feedback inflicting a stir, Szafnauer insists that he didn’t learn any tales referring to the matter.
And, moreover, he mentioned that any such criticisms which can be made public change completely nothing when it comes to the willpower contained in the workforce to do higher.
“Studying one thing like that on paper places no extra stress [on us],” he mentioned, when requested by Motorsport.com if there was a better must do higher now.
“Everybody desires to do properly right here. We’re very properly skilled, with technicians and engineers on the highest stage, and we put stress on ourselves. So, we simply have to repair it.”
Pierre Gasly, Alpine A523
Picture by: Alpine
Szafnauer mentioned that it didn’t take remarks from Rossi to make the workforce realise that it was not doing all that was anticipated of it this yr.
“I noticed that you simply wrote one thing as a result of I noticed the headline, however I have never had time to learn it,” he mentioned.
“However we underperformed in Baku. The drivers bumped into one another in Australia, and I believe on the first race, we had a myriad of penalties, beginning with Esteban being misplaced.
“It hasn’t been a clean begin to the season and possibly that is why he made the feedback. However I’ve to learn them.”
Szafnauer mentioned that the precedence for the workforce was studying from all the things that has gone incorrect this yr and make modifications to processes and infrastructure to make sure no repeat.
“All we will do when we now have points like Baku is use and perceive the basis explanation for why it occurred, and ensure we both put the method or the folks in place in order that it would not occur once more,” he mentioned.
“We had an engine hearth on one aspect, and we have to ensure that would not occur. After which we had some finger bother on the opposite aspect. With finger bother, when you perceive the way it occurs, there’s methods to mitigate that. That is what we’ll do. We have finished it already. It did not occur right here.”
Laurent Rossi, Alpine F1 Crew CEO
Picture by: Alpine
Rossi’s remarks have been clearly put on the market to get a message throughout, though it’s unclear what the rapid motivation was.
He might have been attempting to deflect stress away from himself, or they could possibly be laying the groundwork for modifications he’s planning on the workforce.
Szafnauer mentioned he had no direct understanding of why Rossi made the assertion, however he did plan to search out out.
He added: “I don’t know and you will have to ask him. I will be asking him. This weekend was so busy that I have never had an opportunity to debate it.”
