Eddie Jordan says Alpine will regret how quickly they sacked ‘talented’ 59-year-old

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Alpine made a mistake by sacking a ‘talented’ member of their hierarchy, former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan says.

There has been a huge turnover in personnel behind-the-scenes at Alpine since last summer.

But speaking on the Formula For Success podcast, Jordan pinpointed one departure that has been particularly impactful.

Laurent Rossi left his post as Alpine CEO last summer, and then the team sacked team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Chief technical officer Pat Fry then jumped ship to Williams, and there were further changes before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last week.

Technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer became the latest to bid farewell.

Alpine, who scored 120 points to finish sixth in last year’s championship, are rooted to the bottom of the current constructors’ standings.

They are one of four teams yet to score, but the others have all posted better results.

Eddie Jordan laments Otmar Szafnauer exit

Jordan reckons that the team were too hasty in dismissing Szafnauer and may now be regretting it.

The 59-year-old is a vastly experienced figure who had worked at Honda and Aston Martin before joining Alpine.

The team scored some memorable results in the latter half of the 2023 season as Pierre Gasly bagged a podium in the Netherlands before finishing in the top six in Singapore and Texas.

Esteban Ocon, meanwhile, came home in fourth place at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

However, their fortunes have nosedived this year, and Jordan thinks they’re missing Szafnauer.

He said: “I think that they got rid of Otmar at Alpine prematurely. I think that was a mistake. 

“I think he’s a talented person who certainly knew how to keep that team in the right direction.

“The results they had very soon after they let him go were indicative of somebody who had left a platform of a style of management that they could embrace.”

Who are Alpine’s investors?

Alpine issued a statement of intent when they agreed a $200m investment deal with a group of athletes and celebrities.

Actors Ryan Reynolds and Michael B. Jordan, boxer Anthony Joshua, golfer Rory McIlroy, NFL star Patrick Mahomes and footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold were among those to commit funds.

All of those involved will expect much more from the team as the year progresses and the sport approaches a major regulation change in 2026.

McLaren scored nine podiums last year after a similarly poor start to the season, but few in the paddock believe Alpine can produce a similar turnaround this year.