Flavio Briatore: “It took a certain level of incompetence for Alpine to lose both Alonso and Piastri in a single summer”. Flavio Briatore explained how his return to the paddock with Alpine came about.

A triumphant return
When Alpine officially announced Flavio Briatore’s return as an executive consultant on June 21, the French team was in eighth place with only 5 points from 9 Grands Prix.
Since then, the team has turned things around, collecting 60 points over the remaining 15 races, climbing two positions, and finishing sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.

In an interview with the German magazine *Auto, Motor und Sport*, Flavio Briatore explained how his return to the paddock with Alpine came about: “I was never really away, as I was working as a sports ambassador with Stefano Domenicali and as Fernando Alonso’s manager. My businesses practically run themselves now, and I didn’t have much left to do. I felt lonely and bored, especially since my son moved to Geneva to study. So, I talked to Luca de Meo, whom I’ve known forever.”

Fernando Alonso’s departure
In recent years, Flavio Briatore dealt with Alpine’s management while overseeing Alonso’s career and harshly criticized the events of 2022: “It took a certain level of incompetence to lose two drivers like Fernando and Oscar Piastri in a single summer. Fernando Alonso wanted to stay because the previous season hadn’t gone that badly; we even wanted to finalize his contract renewal in Canada. But Laurent Rossi suddenly disappeared—he was unreachable. So, I started talking to Lawrence Stroll at Aston Martin, and we also received an offer from Williams. In the end, we signed with Aston Martin because we couldn’t get along with Alpine’s management—the mistakes were theirs.”

The future
Flavio Briatore has a clear vision for reorganizing the team: “With Luca, I now have the opportunity to implement everything I have in mind over the next 3-5 years. The first step was getting rid of our engine, saying goodbye to something that cost us a lot and gave us nothing in return. The same goes for the gearbox—it won’t win you races; it can only lose them for you. Now, we have a clear and simple structure.”

The Italian manager also revealed why he did not want the role of team principal: “I’ve been in that role long enough. I want to focus on the bigger picture and not be present every day at the Enstone factory. I represent our president, Luca. I don’t need a title to do that; everyone knows I’m the one making the decisions. Now, everyone can see the light at the end of the tunnel. With the Mercedes engine, we have the foundation to win. This is my mission.”