Former Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer details what he's been up to since leaving the French squad

Since departing the Alpine F1 team, Otmar Szafnauer has been focused on hosting Formula One experiences and promoting his travel itinerary app. Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, the former Aston Martin team principal emphasized the importance of managing itineraries in the fast-paced world of motorsport, explaining how his new venture addresses this need.

In partnership with business developer Alex Powell, Szafnauer founded SoftPauer in 2009. Their latest app, EventR, is the third they’ve developed for Formula 1, following their pioneering live timing app used by the sport. Szafnauer believes that racing teams frequently require efficient coordination and itinerary management. EventR streamlines this process, enabling companies and teams to manage their schedules through a single platform. Current clients include Formula 2 teams, with growing interest from F1 teams, F1 experiences, IndyCar teams, and several broadcasters coordinating large-scale travel.

Szafnauer emphasized the importance of efficient coordination in the fast-paced world of motorsport, noting that teams often struggle with managing itineraries effectively. His latest app, EventR, offers a solution by allowing companies and teams to streamline their scheduling needs through a single platform. The app is designed to simplify travel logistics and ensure smoother operations, which he sees as essential for success in the industry.

Asked by Sportskeeda about life after F1, Otmar Szafnauer said:

“So I've spent a year out without being able to compete. In that year, I was afforded the opportunity to do some work for Formula One experiences, you know, to give insights to all their guests and clientele that come to the races as to what the team principal would be doing at certain points in the weekend, which was quite nice. I've also done some other work for sponsors when they have their high-end guests come. And maybe most importantly, my software company has now completed the development and has rolled out a new application that helps traveling teams coordinate their travel itineraries digitally. So the app is called EventR.”

“We have a lot of interest from Formula 1 teams, we have a lot of Formula 2 teams using it already. We have talked to IndyCar teams, we’ve talked to Sky, we’ve talked to NBC Sports, we’ve talked to the organizers of some of the lower championships in IndyCar. And just now, here I went to see Porsche Cup. So the Porsche Cup teams have talked to Formula One experiences.”

Explaining his event coordinating application, Szafnauer said:

“So all teams that travel en mass need to communicate all the travel details to those traveling because they don't book it themselves you know, you have a travel coordinator that books everything, and once it's booked, you have to tell all those that are traveling somehow through some medium what flight they're on, what hire car they're in, what bus they're in, what hotel they're staying in, when does a flight leave, when does flight come back, what do you do in between, and if you have a hundred or 150 people, to do that then it becomes a big effort to coordinate everyone and our software makes it a lot easier.”

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Otmar Szafnauer confirms consulting potential American F1 teams

Otmar Szafnauer revealed to Sportskeeda that he is currently advising a potential new American F1 team, clarifying that it is not Andretti F1, who are also eager to join the grid. The 60-year-old shared that he had previously received an offer from Andretti Global before his move to Alpine.

While the former Aston Martin team principal expressed a desire to return to the sport, he emphasized that any future role would need to align with his expertise and professional profile.

Asked by Sportskeeda about other ventures apart from his software company, Otmar Szafnauer said:

“I've also been asked by some American backers that have a significant amount of funding to look into what it would take to start a Formula One team. So I've been working on potential business and technical planning.”

Asked if he wished to return in the role of a team principal, he said:

“I mean, if asked at the right level, for sure, but it has to be for the right job opportunity. However, like I said, the Americans have come to me and said, can you help us with planning a new entry? So I've been working on the plans for six months already.”

Asked if potential F1 entrant Andretti was a choice for a job, Szafnauer replied:

“I spoke to Andretti early on, but they asked me to come as team principal when I was moving to Alpine. So I couldn't. And now they have somebody. I think they have Graham Lowdon.”

Since he departed from Alpine F1, Szafnauer has maintained a notable presence in the paddock, now serving as an expert host for elite guests at the Paddock Lounge. Known for his candid opinions, the former team principal has continued to stay involved in the F1 scene.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Otmar Szafnauer reflected on his unexpected exit from Alpine, shared insights on the team's current state, and revisited his time at Force India.