Alonso: Szafnauer should be quiet

Szafnauer left Aston Martin in 2022, siting disagreement with with the team chairman Lawrence Stroll, taking a dig at the latter saying it was time to leave Aston Martin to their one pope.

He joined Alpine that year, where Alonso was still driving, but failed to keep the Spaniard with the French outfit, and now has been shown the door himself.

Alonso suddenly decided in 2022 to switch to Aston Martin, an inspired decision given the form of the British team in 2023 and despite their current drop in form, as he has already accumulated six podium in the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Coincidentally, just before Szafnauer's firing from Alpine was announced, Alonso spoke to the BBC about the conditions which made him decide to leave Alpine.

"I don't think I felt disrespected," he said. "But it is true it took longer than I thought when we started conversations - I think it was in Australia back in [April] 2022 - about renewing the contract.

"It was just on a very slow pace, and it was not from my side. I was just ready and happy. The 2022 car was a fast car so I was also happy with the performance and the possibilities into the future.

"So that slow pace of conversations and eventually not even putting on paper what we were writing and all these comments about the age and whatever, which they are still doing," he commented.

Without being privy to details, history shows that Aston Martin took a step forward after Szafnauer left while Alpine did not really advance under his brief watch. Granted he wasn't given much time at Enstone, but Alonso was not holding back.

"It is the way they do things. Or the way Otmar does things. Because after this year, he should be quiet. He should not talk at all," he said.

"After the results of Aston Martin and the results he's achieving, he's still talking and still proud of the decision, which is incredible, amazing," the double F1 Champion insisted.

One could imagine, given what Alonso said that he will have no compassion for Szafnauer's recent plight, as Alpine didn't even wait for the Belgian Grand Prix weekend to be over before announcing his departure.

Indeed, there were always soundbites from Alpine regarding Alonso's age - he turned 42 last weekend in Spa - but to be fair he is driving at an extremely high level these days, age being just a number to him, and he admitted frustration that the value he added wasn't appreciated.

Quizzed whether Alpine didn't appreciated his added value, Alonso said: "100%. And still do.

"When you are doing the best you can every weekend, when I did so many things for Renault as well, you take a little bit personal when someone is doubting your performance or your age or these kinds of things.

"And you just want to prove even extra hard that you are in the best moment of your career. The results, they speak for themselves, and that's the best way," the winner of 32 grands prix concluded.

Alonso currently sits third in the 2023 F1 Drivers' Championship with 149 points, 40 less than second-placed Sergio Perez, who in turn is 125 behind Championship leader Max Verstappen.