It was the Romanian-born American’s determination to keep the then-Force India outfit on the grid that carried the team through a crisis in the summer of 2018, and saw it emerge under the ownership of Lawrence Stroll and with the new Racing Point identity.
He subsequently oversaw the expansion process and the transition to the Aston Martin name in 2021.
We assumed that Szafnauer would continue to lead the operation for years to come, until rumours of his impending departure, possibly for a new role at Alpine, began to surface late last season.
Those were denied at the time of course, but on Wednesday came the announcement that he had indeed left the team, and that a management reorganisation was under way.
The full circumstances behind Szafnauer’s departure and the confirmation of his future plans will emerge in time. But what did he achieve at his former home, and how important was he to the team’s survival?
Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal and CEO, Aston Martin F1
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