From rural Romania to F1 Team Principal, Otmar Szafnauer’s story is as inspiring as it is unlikely. His life today is about coping with pressure from boards of directors, dealing with drivers and leading a team of 950 people. It’s a world away from his early childhood in a house with no running water, in a village with only two cars.
In conversation with Tom Clarkson, Otmar talks about what those early years taught him, the highs and lows of his decades in Formula 1 and the challenges he faces every day. Plus his views on the leadership of Alpine, the relationship between Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, the 2023 success of Alpine’s former drivers and the challenge of turning the team into regular race winners.