Szafnauer opens door to F1 return – but only on his terms

Otmar Szafnauer has left the door ajar for a Formula 1 comeback, but the former team principal has made it abundantly clear that he would not be returning simply for the sake of holding a paddock pass.

The 62-year-old spent more than a decade at the helm of Force India and Racing Point before the Silverstone-based operation transformed into Aston Martin F1. After leaving the latter, Szafnauer took the reins of Alpine which he departed after the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix.

Since, the American has explored life beyond F1, becoming CEO of junior-series outfit Van Amersfoort Racing and launching the EventR app.

Yet the competitive pull of grand prix racing apparently remains difficult to shake.

F1 still has its attraction

Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast alongside Jake Humphrey and Rob Smedley, Szafnauer admitted that while he has little appetite for the relentless travel associated with F1, he still misses the intensity of competing at its highest level.

"It does fulfil a lot," he acknowledged. "But what I miss is the competitive nature of Formula 1. What I don't miss is the travel and some of the other stuff.

"But if I can be of value to improve a team or build a team... But it's got to be at the right level, and I've got to add value, not necessarily team principal because I've been there, done that.

"And it seems like nowadays the team principals are more ex-race engineers."

That last observation hints at what could make a future return complicated. Szafnauer clearly believes running an F1 operation requires a broader skill set than simply understanding the technical side of racing.

"And for me, some of the race engineers, not all of them, with all due respect, have different types of skills than what I think is required for a successful team principal,” he added.

One boss, one direction

Szafnauer's previous experiences also appear to have shaped his conditions for any potential comeback.

His Aston Martin departure followed the arrival of Martin Whitmarsh as group CEO, a change that Szafnauer believes undermined the clarity of his own position.

"I was CEO and team principal. He came in as group CEO," Szafnauer said.

"And within weeks he took most of my responsibilities, about 80% of them. He said, 'You can do this 20% stuff at the track,' and I'm thinking you can't have two popes."

That experience may explain why Szafnauer is reluctant to simply chase another team principal position.

If he does return, it will seemingly need to be a role with genuine authority, a clear mandate and a meaningful opportunity to build something.

For now, F1 can count Szafnauer among those watching from the outside. But unlike many former paddock figures, he has not ruled out walking back through the door – provided the right opportunity comes knocking.

Read also: Szafnauer reveals the wild origin story of Force India’s pink livery

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