Flavio Briatore, the newly appointed Executive Advisor for Alpine, has downplayed the importance of the team’s 2025 driver lineup, asserting that the real impact on Alpine’s fortunes will come from improvements to the car rather than the choice of drivers. According to Briatore, until Alpine delivers a more competitive vehicle, the drivers themselves will make little difference in the team’s success.
Briatore, who returned to Alpine in an advisory role to Renault CEO Luca de Meo, was a key figure during the team’s earlier successes under its previous incarnations as Benetton and Renault. He famously led the team to multiple championships in the 1990s and mid-2000s but stepped down in 2009 following the ‘Crashgate’ scandal, which saw him initially banned from Formula 1—a decision that was later overturned in court.
Now back in the fold, Briatore has taken on the challenge of helping to revitalize the struggling Alpine team. Despite the changes in leadership and structure, with Oliver Oakes appointed as the new team principal, Briatore has stressed that the focus needs to be on rebuilding the team from the ground up, particularly in areas such as the commercial, technical, and management departments.
“It’s a new challenge, it’s a new motivation – I’m very happy to come back,” Briatore commented. He acknowledged that while the driver lineup for 2025, which is expected to feature reserve driver Jack Doohan alongside Pierre Gasly, is important, it is not the most pressing issue. Briatore suggested that until the team can provide a more competitive car, the driver selection will not significantly alter Alpine’s performance.
Briatore also admitted that the team’s attempt to secure outgoing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz had been unsuccessful, as Sainz chose to move to Williams for the 2025 season. Despite this setback, Briatore maintains that the real priority is the development of a car capable of competing at the front of the grid.
Alpine has faced a difficult season, with their A524 car proving uncompetitive, leaving the team languishing in eighth place in the Constructors’ Championship. With only 11 points from 14 rounds, the team’s struggles have been evident. However, Briatore is optimistic that Alpine will see a resurgence when the Formula 1 regulations reset in 2026, allowing for a fresh start and a chance to build a competitive car from the ground up.
“If you have a good car, you need a good driver,” Briatore noted. “But if the car is not performing, the driver makes no difference. Our focus right now is to ensure that we are putting all our energy into the technical side, making the Alpine car better and better for next year.”
Briatore’s optimism extends to a bold prediction: he guarantees that Alpine will be back on the podium by 2027, as the new regulations and team restructuring begin to bear fruit. “Alpine – I promise you – give me two years. In two years’ time we see the podium,” Briatore confidently concluded. “In 2027, we have a podium.”
As Alpine prepares for the upcoming seasons, the emphasis will clearly be on the car’s development and team structure, with the driver lineup playing a secondary role until the foundation is solid enough to support a return to competitive form in Formula 1.
Photo from Briatore Instagram
