Flavio Briatore has never been one to mince words when speaking about Fernando Alonso. In the DAZN documentary “Bravissimo,” the former team principal, who is deeply connected to Alonso’s career, emphasizes the Spaniard’s extraordinary talent, going beyond statistics and official records. For Flavio Briatore, Alonso remains one of the greatest drivers of all time, hindered not by ability but by circumstances.
Alonso’s career shaped by circumstances, not limits
“The only thing I can say is that Fernando, with his immense driving talent, has achieved fewer results than he truly deserved—not due to his fault or mine, but because of other circumstances. A driver like him should have won six or eight world championships,” Briatore asserts without hesitation, as reported by SoyMotor. This statement offers a powerful retrospective, analyzing two decades of Formula 1 from an insider’s perspective, witnessing Fernando Alonso make a difference almost everywhere he raced.
Briatore’s key point is clear: a driver can shift the balance, but cannot compensate for the structural shortcomings of a team. “It’s logical, because he has always made a difference in his teams. But it also requires luck—luck that your team is ready when you make the difference. If the team fails, it’s not the driver’s fault; it’s the team’s,” Briatore adds, emphasizing a collective responsibility often unfairly placed on individual drivers in public discourse.
Numbers don’t capture Alonso’s true greatness
The discussion about statistics failing to reflect Fernando Alonso’s real greatness continues as Flavio Briatore considers the present and future. “His numbers do not match what he deserves. Will he still succeed? Perhaps, you never know.” This is not a promise nor a prophecy but recognition that, even past forty, Alonso remains a competitive anomaly—someone capable of surprises if the technical context allows.
An intimate and formative bond
The documentary also reveals a more personal and formative dimension of the relationship between Flavio Briatore and Alonso. Flavio Briatore talks not just about the driver, but the man and leader Alonso has become over the years. “I was sure that Fernando Alonso was someone more than special. It’s natural that he became a champion. We always believed we were working with an exceptional driver. In the last 30 or 40 years, there have been, at most, three or four drivers of Fernando Alonso’s caliber.” This statement positions the Spaniard in a very exclusive historical elite, transcending eras and regulations.
Flavio Briatore reiterates the central idea: a driver can make the difference but cannot fix systemic team failures. “It’s logical, because he always made a difference in his teams. But you also need luck: the team must be ready when you make a difference. If the team fails, it’s not the driver’s fault—it’s the team’s.” Again, he stresses collective responsibility, often overlooked in public narratives.
Looking at Fernando Alonso’s present and future, Flavio Briatore underlines that his statistics fail to fully reflect his talent. “His numbers don’t match what he deserves. Will he still succeed? Maybe, you never know.” Even beyond forty, Alonso is a competitive anomaly, capable of extraordinary results if conditions allow.
Finally, the documentary sheds light on the deep bond between the two, emphasizing the former Ferrari driver’s evolution into a leader. “I was certain Fernando Alonso was someone more than special. It’s natural he became champion. We always believed we were dealing with an exceptional driver. In the past 30–40 years, there have been only three or four drivers of Alonso’s stature.” This places him in a rarefied elite of Formula 1 history, beyond regulations and eras.
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