Briatore tipped for SHOCK Ferrari move as replacement rumours swirl

Alpine F1 advisor Flavio Briatore has been tipped to make a shock switch to Ferrari amid increasing pressure on the Italian giants.

Ahead of last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, reports surfaced regarding the future of team principal Fred Vasseur, with speculation growing that he could be replaced before next season.

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The absence of Ferrari chairman John Elkann in Montreal simply served to add more fuel to the fire, given that he instead opted to attend the Le Mans 24 in support of the manufacturer's endurance racing operation chief, Antonello Coletta.

But Italian politician Ignazio La Russa believes it will take more than one change to turn Ferrari's fortunes around, and has put forward Briatore as a potential name for the squad to consider.

"Flavio is a good friend of mine," he told La Politica nel Pallone. "Whatever he did, he always did very, very well.

"But I don't think a great manager is enough to lead Ferrari right now. I believe that the problem lies deeper than just replacing the manager.

"Flavio could provide the necessary breath of fresh air. He is not only capable of growling, but also of getting things done."

Pressure mounts on Fred Vasseur

Briatore remains one of the sport's most controversial figures, having previously received a lifetime ban for his involvement in the 2008 'Crashgate' scandal - a decision which was later overturned.

The former world championship-winning boss at Benetton and Renault returned to F1 midway through last season as an executive advisor at Alpine.

Vasseur has continued to dismiss rumours over his long-term future at Ferrari, and has been recently backed by star drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

But the 57-year-old, who was appointed in January 2023, has endured a frustrating campaign, with the Scuderia's chances of winning a first world championship since 2008 already all but over.

They currently sit third in the constructors' standings behind McLaren and Mercedes, while Leclerc and Hamilton are a long way off the likes of Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in the drivers' title battle.

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