Flavio Briatore’s return to Formula 1 is certainly not going unnoticed. The manager from Cuneo has returned this year to take on an operational role within a team, becoming an advisor for Alpine. But the hands of the historic former Benetton and Renault team principal are moving in many directions, not just dispensing advice.
Flavio Briatore has had a disruptive impact, contributing to the decision to abandon the Renault power unit from 2026. This controversial choice will make the team a Mercedes customer and has led to numerous layoffs, which the businessman from Cuneo “claimed” after the race in Interlagos, following the brilliant double podium achieved by Ocon and Gasly.
Jack Doohan on track, but with conditions attached
According to rumors from Germany, relayed by the German site F1-Insider, Flavio Briatore also played a central role in the driver choices for 2025. The hiring of Australian rookie Jack Doohan for the next season is reportedly strategic for the 74-year-old Italian manager. Flavio Briatore is part of the management of the Australian driver and has secured a unique contract valid only for the first five GPs. This was a common practice in the 1990s – Briatore’s Benetton team in 1994 had various drivers like Michael Schumacher, Verstappen, Letho, and Herbert – but it is rarer in today’s Formula 1.
Doohan’s performance will thus be evaluated at the beginning of the season, after which a more definitive decision on his future will be made: either a confirmation for the rest of the championship or a replacement. In the latter case, Flavio Briatore appears interested – as is half the grid – in the Argentine Franco Colapinto, who risks being left without a main seat despite an impressive debut with Williams. A scenario that might seem like fantasy F1 but instead appears in full “Briatore style,” ready to use every trick in the book to secure a competitive edge.
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