Alpine announce Budkowski’s departure as executive director

2022 F1 season

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Alpine executive director Marcin Budkowski has left his position, the team has confirmed.

Budkowski and Alpine agreed to “end their collaboration”, the team said today, bringing Budkowski’s tenure to an end after four years.

Budkowski had taken charge of Alpine’s F1 operating company following the departure of Cyril Abiteboul in January 2021. Laurent Rossi, CEO of Alpine, will take over temporary management over the F1 team, Alpine confirmed.

On his departure, Budkowski wished Alpine’s F1 efforts well for the future. “I truly enjoyed being part of the leadership team of Renault then Alpine F1 Team, working with such a talented and dedicated group of people,” Budkowski said. “I will be watching the team’s progress fondly in the seasons to come.”

Budkowski’s appointment with the then-Renault team attracted controversy due to his previous role with the FIA prior to arriving as an executive director back in 2018. Rossi expressed gratitude to Budkowski for his work with the team.

“I would like to thank Marcin Budkowski for his commitment and contribution to the team’s results over the last four years,” Rossi said. “The team is fully focused on getting the car ready for the first race in Bahrain and deliver a step beyond in performance.”

Budkowski is the second high-ranking member of an F1 team to leave their position in two weeks, following Otmar Szafnauer’s departure as CEO and team principal of Aston Martin. Szafnauer had previously dismissed rumours connecting him with a possible move to Alpine last year.

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Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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17 comments on “Alpine announce Budkowski’s departure as executive director”

  1. Swapsies ??

  2. This is not denial.

    that rumours linking me to Alpine F1 Team are merely ‘speculative conjecture’ and that they would not therefore comment further,” said Szafnauer.

    In F1 that’s almost a notification of changing jobs.

  3. Budkowsky back to FIA to take his former position back from Tombazis?

    1. @Only Facts! I don’t rule this option out.

  4. Otmar Alpine announcement incoming.

  5. Gardening leave may not apply here, but I always wish I could have some.

  6. Hello Otmar

  7. Must be some virus or new mutation.
    The NFL is going through its’ usual end of regular season Dumping Of Management Staff exercise as well.
    Will be interesting to see where the various chess pieces wind up.
    Should keep us occupied till Feb. 23.

  8. someone or something
    13th January 2022, 18:24

    Replacing Budkowski with Szafnauer strikes me as a downgrade. Budkowski seemed to be rather personable, and more of a straight talker. Not someone who tells an obvious lie as often as he breathes.
    Szafnauer however …

    1. Hardly a downgrade then eh

    2. I can see that I’m not the only one not overly happy that Omar will very likely join Alpine (I have a soft spot for this team).
      Szafnauer doesn’t strike me like one of those guys that have the capacity/skills to bring this team back to the top and I also don’t like much what he usually says.

      1. I really like Szafnauer. I think he’ll do great. He’s not a person to take any nonsense from anyone. He’ll get things done.

  9. Alpine, like Renault before it, still seem to be lacking a full commitment to F1.

    Recruiting Bukowski, to me, was one of their first steps in a positive direction and his leaving suggests that maybe things are still not heading in the right direction.

    I’m wondering if this will be the team that ultimately ends up being the one targeted by Audi for takeover as I still suspect after so many years of failure the Renault group will withdraw completely from F1 as its post 2013 years have been less than great for its brand.

  10. Welcome to Aston Martin, Marcin.

    1. Wow.
      No way that was an accident

    2. That is great! Thanks for sharing.

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