Meet F1's Flavio Briatore - Alpine's 'democratic dictator' who fires 'bad people'

Flavio Briatore and Christian Horner embrace on the grid — Photo: © IMAGO

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Meet Flavio Briatore - Alpine's 'democratic dictator' who fires 'bad people'

Kevin McKenna

Friday 16 May 2025 11:57

Love him or hate him, Formula 1 is certainly far more colourful with Flavio Briatore around.

It's been almost one year since the fiery Italian made his long-awaited - and somewhat controversial - return to the sport as an executive advisor with Alpine.

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And, as expected, it's been quite a ride.

Briatore makes instant impact at Alpine

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A little over a month after his comeback, Alpine team principal Bruno Famin stepped down from his role.

And while Briatore's arrival wasn't cited as the reason behind the Frenchman's decision, the timing raised more than a few eyebrows.

A surprisingly positive end to the 2024 campaign saw the team finish the year sixth in the constructors' championship, raising hopes that they could break into the top five this time around.

Jack Doohan joined Pierre Gasly on the grid after Esteban Ocon was deemed surplus to requirements, but the move hasn't paid off, with the team sitting second bottom of the standings after six races in 2025.

The rookie has been axed ahead of this weekend's Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in favour of reserve driver Colapinto, while there will also be a new man in the team principal's seat following the shock resignation of Oliver Oakes last week.

Speculation of a fallout between Briatore and Oakes was quickly dismissed by the team consultant, but his comments made during a 2024 interview with Auto Motor und Sport have since been thrust back into the spotlight.

"I trust people as long as they return my trust, he said. "If they're bad, I replace them. Bad people infect everyone who works under them.

"I am a democratic dictator."

It's a reputation which has been a long time in the making...

First steps in F1

His journey in F1 began in 1990, after taking over as manager of Benetton Formula - whose fashion brand he had previously helped become a roaring success in the United States.

He would go on to sign a talented young driver by the name of Michael Schumacher, and the pair went on to win two world drivers' titles together.

In 1994 the Italian rejected an advance from Ferrari, which Schumacher couldn’t resist in 1996 when he decided to depart Benetton to chase his dreams.

The move would dent Benetton’s capabilities and resulted in David Richards replacing Briatore in 1997.

During his time away from managing teams, Briatore supplied Williams, BAR, Arrows and Benetton with Mechachrome-built Renault engines between 1999 and 2000.

He would return to the brand in 2001, managing the Benetton-Renault team before they became the Renault F1 team in 2002.

Flying high, and then crashing, with Renault

The early years were slow as Renault fought to improve their car and move up the grid. The biggest gamble Briatore took was promoting Alonso to replace Jenson Button in 2003, which sparked major controversy.

The Italian would only be proved right by the Spaniard’s performances as early as in his first season, when he won his maiden grand prix in Hungary, going on to finish sixth in his first season with Renault.

Further improvements would follow in 2004 as he finished fourth, before experiencing triumph in 2005 and 2006 with the iconic R25 and 26 cars.

In a shock move, Alonso would then move to McLaren in 2007, leaving Briatore to hire Heikki Kovalainen to replace him just months after winning a second consecutive title together.

Briatore was a key cog in the smooth running of Renault as a title-winning operation, leading to Renault president Alain Dassas stating that his commitment was a key factor in the company remaining in the sport beyond 2007.

Alonso would return for 2008 in a far less competitive car, but still managed to win two grands prix, including the inaugural instalment of a Singapore race shrouded in controversy.

The Crashgate scandal whereby Briatore and colleague Pat Symonds were found guilty of race fixing after Nelson Piquet Jr crashed on purpose to benefit Alonso’s strategy would see Briatore receive one of the harshest punishments in FIA history for his involvement - a lifetime ban from F1.

That decision was eventually overturned by a French court in 2010, but it would be 14 years before we would see him involved in the sport again.

If his first year back in the paddock is anything to go by, time away has done little to blunt his unwavering desire to come out on top.

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