Aston Martin and Otmar Szafnauer’s bitter split seems to have finally concluded, as the duo settled their differences in the court earlier this year. That being said, the ex-Aston Martin and Alpine team principal seems to have come out looking better as Business F1 reports that the Silverstone-based team is reportedly instructed to pay at least $300,000 to Szafnauer, which also includes his attorney’s fees.
Szafnauer took Aston Martin to court to get a hefty severance package. He was let go by the Lawrence Stroll-led outfit in the January of 2022. However, he felt that the severance package being offered to him was not up to the mark.
During the proceedings, Szafnauer relied on the promise of equity in Force India (now Aston Martin) made by ex-owner Vijay Mallya which persuaded him to accept a lower salary. Since Stroll had taken up the team as a going concern in 2018, he had also picked up this additional liability according to the 59-year-old’s lawyer, Irwin Mitchell.
Aston Martin did not fold, as they filed a counter claim for damages. In the end, however, the two parties thought it best to mutually settle the matter and reached an agreement – the details of which haven’t been made public. While Szafnauer was reported to be happy with the outcome, a feather in his cap is the extra $300,000 Aston Martin is to pay towards the expenses incurred during the proceedings.
After Aston Martin and Alpine snub, where is Otmar Szafnauer headed?
Szafnauer felt he was not being valued enough at Aston Martin. This is the main reason why left. PlanetF1 reported that Szafnauer could see how responsibilities were being taken away from him.
He then made a switch to Alpine where the prospect of a rebuild enticed both, himself and the team. 2022 was a solid year for the team as Alpine picked up 4th in the Constructors’. Unfortunately, things began to unravel for them in 2023. Midway into the campaign, the higher-ups of Alpine decided to sack him. Szafnauer cited a lack of patience and realistic targets as the reason for him getting the pink slip mid-season.
After two torrid stints at the helm of managing an F1 team, Szafnauer seems to have taken a breather from the break-neck life in the paddock. However, he was recently seen at the Honda hospitality at the St. Petersburg IndyCar weekend. This led to rumors pointing towards a potential switch to Indy, one of the most prestigious racing series in the world.
