In Alpine they lost Fernando Alonso and with it its good results. His start to the season with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly it’s catastrophic: 14 points and behind McLaren in the manufacturers’ standings. The crisis in the team is total, with their bosses pointing at each other.
otmar szafnauer, Alpine boss, has insisted that they can fight with Aston Martin, Mercedes and Ferrari. But the reality is very different. Far away in results after five Formula 1 World Cup races.
And the head of the French team has now excused himself with the simulator in statements to ‘Auto Motor und Sport’: “Our current simulator is between 15 and 20 years oldIt’s an old McLaren model. A month ago we ordered a new and modern simulator, but we will have it in a year and a half or two…”.
“Other people have better simulation tools than we do. So, generally, we need a little more track time until we find the perfect configuration”, has denounced.
Regarding the budget limit, he reveals that they will talk to the FIA: “We have to talk to the FIA so that the necessary investments do not fall within the budget limit. Otherwise, we’ll be stuck with the existing infrastructure.”
“Some projects should be left out of the budget ceiling, like the wind tunnel in Aston Martinfor which an exception was made, if it had been within budget, it would never have happened,” says Szafnauer.
Now Otmar denounces that the team’s facilities are old and thus it is not possible to fight against the greats. A week ago he said that they were in the fight against Aston Martin, Mercedes and Ferrari. The crisis in the French team continues… and the consequences could arrive very soon.
