Flavio Briatore is perhaps one of the most direct and outspoken figures F1 has ever known. His return to the top tier of motorsport has been welcomed after many years away—years during which, perhaps, more than a few people felt his absence.
The Alpine boss was interviewed by Marco Franzelli for TG1 and took the opportunity to assess the state of F1, once again offering comments that, as always, spark reflection. The main theme of his remarks is undoubtedly his passion for F1 and, more broadly, for work in general.
Briatore bluntly: “Leclerc is no longer the center of attention at Ferrari” – and on Hamilton…
“You work with passion. Those who have no passion leave the office at 6 PM. But we’ve already gotten rid of the many who lacked passion.” Some would call him a workaholic, others might say he’s too strict. But Flavio Briatore’s work culture has taken him far, and whether one likes it or not, his widely praised return to F1 says a lot about his career filled with success.
Speaking of work, he didn’t miss the chance to celebrate one of the greatest talents in F1 history. “Schumacher taught drivers to stay in shape, he spent hours in the gym. He redefined what a racing driver is. If we think that Prost would get tired quickly just by going to the beach…”
And what does Flavio Briatore think about Hamilton at Ferrari? “From a marketing standpoint, it was a good idea to bring him to Maranello, but for Charles Leclerc it definitely wasn’t a good thing. He surely got upset because all the attention shifted to the seven-time world champion. What does he need to do to become important for Ferrari again? He has to be faster than Lewis Hamilton—and I think he can do it. He’s very quick in qualifying.”
And regarding the current state of F1? “Max Verstappen reminds me of Schumacher and Senna, he’s a great champion. So many young drivers on the grid? That’s a good thing because it also lowers the average age of the audience. Before, it was just old people watching—look at it now instead…”
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