Alpine boss reveals he first heard of Fernando Alonso’s shock departure via Aston Martin press release

Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer revealed he only found out about star driver Fernando Alonso’s shock departure for 2023 via the Aston Martin press release on Monday morning.

Two-time world champion Alonso has signed a “multi-year contract” to drive for Aston from 2023 in a move which has surprised many in the paddock, with the 41-year-old expected to extend his deal at Alpine.

Yet it has since emerged that Alonso wanted more longevity in the terms offered by Alpine and with no agreement in place, the ex-Renault, McLaren and Ferrari driver has opted for pastures new once again.

Szafnauer, speaking on Tuesday morning, revealed he asked Alonso over the weekend if he had signed anything with Aston to which Alonso’s response was “I haven’t signed with anybody else.” Needless to say, the Romanian-American was stunned with the news.

“It was the first confirmation I had,” Szafnauer said, when asked if he discovered the news from the Aston announcement like the rest of the world.

open image in gallery

“Obviously, when we’re in the paddock, there’s all sorts of rumours, and I had heard rumours that Aston were interested. Once you hear that they’re interested, there’s probably discussions that took place and there’s some other indications that discussions took place, like walking out of the same motorhome at the same time, all that kind of stuff, which I saw.

“But I was confident that, even with the discussions, and there’s nothing wrong with exploring, that we were very close. So yes, the first confirmation I had was the press release. I did ask the question [to Alonso]. And I was told: ‘No, no, I haven’t signed anything.’ So I was a bit surprised.”

Szafnauer added that he is yet to talk to Alonso since the news as he is “in the Greek Isles somewhere” and delved into the detail of what Alpine offered him.

“There were just a couple of minor points that were outstanding, as he said that his lawyer would get back to us on. I believed that to be the case,” he said. “And then, before he left, I confirmed with him that we would be signing soon. And he said, ‘Yeah, don’t worry, I haven’t signed with anybody else.’ We’ll continue this in the next couple of days.

open image in gallery

“We offered a one plus one deal. And we discussed with Fernando that: ‘look, if next year at this time, you’re performing at the same level, of course, we will take you and that could have carried on.’”

Alpine are now looking for a driver to partner Esteban Ocon next season, with reserve driver and 2021 Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri the frontrunner - with Szafnauer saying he spent Monday “fielding a bunch of calls from other potential drivers.”

“Oscar and his camp are ‘considering their options,’ whatever that means,” Szafnauer, formerly the man in charge at Aston before joining Alpine prior to the 2022 season, added.

Amid rumours Piastri is in talks with McLaren, Szafnauer said: “There are some considerations going from a reserve driver contract with options to becoming a racing driver contract. I’m not privy to whatever pre-arrangement he has with McLaren if any at all but I hear the same rumours you do. But I do know he does have contractual obligations to us and we do to him.”