Flavio Briatore, the Executive Advisor of Alpine, expressed confidence that the team will achieve race victories by 2026, coinciding with the overhaul of Formula 1 regulations. Briatore’s return to the Enstone-based team, where he previously served as team principal from 2000 to 2009, has been warmly welcomed by Alpine as they seek to strengthen their position in the sport. Despite the team’s current eighth position in the Constructors’ Championship, Briatore believes that the revised technical regulations in 2026 will present new opportunities for success. He has set ambitious goals for Alpine, aiming for podium finishes and ultimately race victories in the coming years.
There are rumors that Alpine is considering closing its engine division and returning to a customer team model. Reports suggest that Briatore is eyeing Ferrari or Mercedes as potential partners for this transition. The experienced Italian is also said to be involved in Alpine’s efforts to attract Carlos Sainz, the departing Ferrari driver, to join Pierre Gasly in 2025.
“There is significant interest and we will see what happens in the coming days. However, at the moment, the driver is not the priority for Alpine. Our focus is on getting the car right first,” commented Briatore. “It is incredible that Sainz is still available and we are all excited to have him in the team. We will do everything we can to make it happen.”
The frank statement from Briatore coincides with Alpine’s recent recruitment campaign to strengthen its technical team, which has suffered from the departure of key personnel. Both Technical Director Matt Harman, who has been confirmed as transferring to Williams, and Chief Aerodynamicist Dirk de Beer left earlier in the season. To fill these gaps, Alpine has brought back Michael Broadhurst as Chief Aerodynamicist, who previously contributed to two Constructors’ Championships at Red Bull. Vin Dhanani has also returned as Chief Vehicle Performance, while Jacopo Fantoni, a former Ferrari employee, has been appointed as Deputy Chief Engineer.
Fantoni previously worked in Ferrari’s design department alongside David Sanchez, who was recently appointed as the new Technical Director of Alpine. Sanchez, who left McLaren prematurely, has integrated into Alpine’s revised technical structure introduced earlier this year. Broadhurst will report to David Wheater, Dhanani will report to Ciaron Pilbeam, and Fantoni will report to Joe Burnell. Sanchez will oversee the entire department as the head.
