[1v@n]

Former Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer has criticised modern paddock management methods, saying many owners treat teams like football clubs, expecting instant results and not understanding how success in the sport actually works.

Szafnauer told the Formula for Success podcast that the way teams are run has changed dramatically since the days of Frank Williams, Ron Dennis and Eddie Jordan: “In the past, team owners had a deep understanding of motor racing. They came into the sport as drivers, engineers or mechanics.

To win in Formula 1, you need to work hard, because everyone else is competent. But today’s owners don’t understand that.
They see examples from football, where you can change half the team and dramatically improve the results, and they think that the same is possible in motorsport. But that's not how it works in Formula 1.

I quickly realized that the owners of Renault and Alpine don't understand motor racing and have unrealistic expectations.
They wanted instant success and offered me to fire 20% of the staff to "change the culture". But that's not how it works.
I couldn't just get rid of people who were doing their job well. I knew they had a different idea of ​​how to run a Formula 1 team, so I just couldn't stay."