FORMER F1 TEAM BOSS OTMAR SZAFNAUER HAS NEW CEO ROLE IN MOTORSPORT
Otmar Szafnauer, a well-known name in Formula 1, is starting a new chapter in his long motorsport career. The former Alpine team boss has taken on the role of CEO and managing partner at Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR), a team that competes in junior single-seater series such as Formula 2 and Formula 3.
Szafnauer stepped away from Alpine midway through the 2023 Formula 1 season. Before that, he built a strong reputation in the paddock by leading Force India, a smaller team that often punched above its weight.
He stayed in charge as the outfit changed ownership and identity, first becoming Racing Point and later Aston Martin. His time there was widely seen as a success, especially considering the limited resources the team worked with compared to the bigger manufacturers.
Now, instead of working at the top level of Formula 1, Szafnauer will focus on developing young talent. Van Amersfoort Racing has long been known as a stepping stone for drivers aiming to reach F1. In his new position, he will oversee the team’s overall performance and help shape its future direction across the junior categories.
Szafnauer said he is excited to join an organization with a strong reputation for growing young drivers and competing consistently. He plans to work closely with the leadership team to push the squad forward in the coming years.
Brad Joyce, VAR’s team principal and a former colleague of Szafnauer from their Force India days, welcomed the appointment. He believes Szafnauer’s experience at the highest level of the sport will bring valuable insight and strengthen the team as it continues to develop its long-term plans.
With this move, Van Amersfoort Racing adds an experienced Formula 1 figure to its leadership, with clear ambition to raise its level in the competitive junior series.
Running a team was on his mind already
In an interview with The Race, Szafnauer made it clear that returning to lead a Formula 1 team has not been a sudden idea. He explained that for more than a year he has been quietly working behind the scenes to prepare for a comeback, hence why Motorsportsclicks can also confirm to have spotted the Romanian engineer and entrepreneur following VAR on-site in the past couple of years.
During that time, he has been speaking with serious investors who have the money to fund a team and also securing interest from a car manufacturer that would supply the power unit.
He indicated that he does not simply want to return as an employee. Instead, his ambition is to come back as a leader, with real influence over the direction of the team, similar to the structure seen at Mercedes. This shows that he has been thinking long-term and wants stability and control over the project.
Szafnauer also said he wants to be ready in case Formula 1 opens a process for a 12th team, or if one of the current teams becomes available for sale.
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