Speaking to AFP, the Monegasque resident and Alpine F1 boss revealed his ambitions to transform the French team into a podium contender, promising a revolution with the help of Mercedes.
Bold gamble of calculated sacrifice
In the paddocks where time is measured in thousandths of a second, Flavio Briatore orchestrates an offbeat symphony. The Italian septuagenarian, an iconic figure on the Rock, fully embraces Alpine’s blank slate in 2025 – a season deliberately sacrificed on the altar of future ambitions. “Alpine doesn’t have the capacity to develop two cars simultaneously,” he admits, with the brutal frankness that forges Formula 1 legends.
Mercedes, the mechanical grail
The confession hits like a sudden Mediterranean gust: the current engine is “a major handicap” in a field where twenty cars battle within a one-second margin. But 2026 promises a radical evolution. With Mercedes power under the hood, Briatore sweeps away potential excuses with an aristocratic flick of the hand. “We will have the same engine as the others… we will have no excuse.”
Architect of a rebirth
“I didn’t come back to watch from the sidelines,” insists the man who once transformed Renault into double world champion (2005–2006). His return in June 2024 was not born of nostalgia but of a specific managerial vision: to shape a team capable of brushing against the Top 4 as early as 2026. Renault’s new CEO François Provost shares his all-consuming ambition, injecting fresh energy into the project — in both the team’s commercial offices and the technical wind tunnels.
Gasly, cornerstone of the Franco-Argentinian project
Pierre Gasly, whose contract has been extended until 2028, represents “one of the pillars of the project” – a French backbone around which the future revolves. Alongside him, Argentinian Franco Colapinto is being closely evaluated until the end of October, with Briatore prioritising stability as the foundation for a strong team performance.
In this mechanical ballet, where Monaco remains the jewel in the crown, Alpine is preparing for its evolution. The finances are in place, the engineers are at work, and the wind tunnel keeps spinning. “The team has everything it needs to succeed,” Briatore says, turning patience into promise and sacrifice into investment.