Formula 1 | Szafnauer: Alpine F1 must ‘be closer’ to top teams

Alpine F1 boss Otmar Szafnauer hopes to see progress in his team next year. According to him, it must at least establish itself in the fourth place it was in 2022, and manage to get closer to the three leading teams.

« We have to get a little closer to the possibility of winning a championship » explained Szafnauer. « That’s what we wanted to do in 100 races, and now we have less than 80 left. At the moment we are fourth but only a few points from fifth place. »

« It’s still marginal, but we have to be closer to third next year. We have to be closer to third than fifth next year. Even if we stay fourth, we have to improve to fill the gap. gap with third place. »

Szafnauer is aware that McLaren F1 could have been a threat if Daniel Ricciardo had been on the level of Lando Norris, but he doesn’t think that would have eliminated Alpine from the race in fourth place.

« If you look at the points, it’s not as simple as saying ‘double Lando’s points, and where would they be?’. It doesn’t work like that. But in the peloton you need two drivers who can score. »

« You are penalized more mid-table if only one driver consistently scores points, because the points offered are not that important. If one finishes 12th and the other eighth, rather than seventh and eighth or eighth and ninth, it makes a difference. »