The Enstone team met this year’s goal of finishing fifth in the constructors’ championship, this before a winter in which the CEO, Laurent Rossi , has hinted at the need to make some changes to its structure for the team to advance in the long term. .
There has been speculation that Aston Martin Racing boss Otmar Szafnauer could take a role at Alpine, with Budkowski himself potentially changing management to replace him.
For now, Alpine has not commented on the changes it will make for 2022, but Budkowski is clear that the team should not be distracted by this as it prepares for the new era of F1 rules.
The teams are working on totally new car designs, for the first time under a budget cap, and Budkowski believes Alpine has a great opportunity to do something special next year.
Asked about possible changes to Alpine’s management, including his own position, Budkowski replied: “There’s a lot going on for next year and it will probably be the biggest winter for this team since Renault came back.”
Marcin Budkowski, CEO of Alpine
“It’s the first car we’ve designed below the cost limit – we’re not at the limit, we’re below it – so it doesn’t affect us, but it does affect our competitors. Relatively speaking, it gives us a better platform and position. And a readjustment of some areas of the team that are working much better. I’m excited to see what they’re going to do. So I think right now this needs to be the focus of the team.”
“As a member of senior management, my role is to protect the team from rumours. Actually, what I want to talk about in the coffee machine is how to make the car go faster, not who does what or what the management structure would look like.
Talk of a shakeup at Alpine began last month, when Rossi commented that the team needed to add “muscle” to move forward in the championship.
“It’s not in line with what we want,” he said. “It is clear that I want the team to compete for podiums and win at the end of the next regulation, that is, in 2024/25 , depending on where they decide to switch to the new regulation package.
“But for that, we will have to evolve the team a bit. I think the team has gone from ninth to fifth, before the plateau we have reached, quite well in recent years.
“But now, to go to the next stage and become the best of the leading teams and not just the best of the rest, another evolution is needed.”
