Yahoo Autos Briatore returns to Alpine in advisor role
Flavio Briatore — the former team principal who was previously banned from Formula 1 for his role in the “Crashgate” saga at Renault in 2008 — has been reappointed at Alpine in an executive advisor role.
The 74-year-old Italian was banned for life from F1 by the FIA after he and Pat Symonds were deemed to be central figures in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix controversy, when Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. was ordered to crash in order to benefit Fernando Alonso’s strategy. Alonso — who was cleared of having any knowledge of the plan — went on to win the race from 15th on the grid, but Briatore successfully appealed against the severity of his punishment and was cleared to work again in the sport from 2013.
Now, Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo has appointed Briatore as his executive advisor for Alpine’s F1 division, and he’ll be present from this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix onwards.
Alpine says Briatore “will predominantly focus on top level areas of the team including scouting top talents and providing insights on the driver market, challenging the existing project by assessing the current structure and advising on some strategic matters within the sport.”
The French constructor has had a tough start to the season, with just five points to its name so far and the opening rounds seeing the departures of technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer. Esteban Ocon will also leave Alpine at the end of the season, with no drivers yet confirmed for 2025.
RACER understands Alpine has also been tentatively exploring the possibility of stopping F1 power unit production in its Viry-Chatillon factory and instead becoming a customer team, sounding out rivals over potential supply deals. Those discussions may also have allowed Alpine to gain further details over the current competitive picture between different power unit suppliers ahead of the 2026 regulation change.
