22/06/2024
NEWS STORY
"I'm looking ahead, not backward," says Alpine boss, amidst unrest over Flavio Briatore's return to the F1 paddock.
While some welcome the Italian back, feeling that he will inject some much needed colour and flamboyance into an environment that has become somewhat toxic, others believe he has no place in the sport following his involvement in the infamous Crash-gate saga.
Initially banned from all FIA-sanctioned motorsport for his involvement - indeed, he was the principle architect - the ban was subsequently overturned, however, fired by Renault his remaining link to the paddock was his management of a number of drivers, not least Fernando Alonso. Also, he was a very good friend of the sport's former supremo.
Asked about Briatore's return to a senior role, Bruno Famin replied: "I already answered questions about the past and I don't really mind about the past. I'm always looking about future and trying what we can get and to get our team better.
"That's really our goal," he added. "And what I see with having Flavio as an advisor of the team is the opportunity to have his experience and to help us. He has a very high-level knowledge of Formula 1. He knows a lot of people. And I'm sure he will support us in developing the team faster and better. That's all."
Pushed on the fact that Briatore never apologised for Crash-gate, Famin responded: "I'm looking ahead, not backward! There is a very clear goal to improve the competitiveness of the team as soon as possible and as fast as possible. And we are looking for strong support. We are very happy to have received, again, David Sanchez, technical director. Very good opportunity. We have been able to seize it very quickly. And same thing for Flavio, I think the target is to make the team better as soon as possible and counting on the knowledge, the network, the influence of Flavio with us, it's an asset and we are using all available assets and we will still look for new assets to make the team stronger."
Asked his opinion, Toto Wolff said: "I think we need to give the chance to recover from these situations. I have known Flavio as an extremely smart businessman. He has a lot of know-how in Formula 1. Every input that I got over the last 10-plus years that I've been in much more contact - and I have a friendly relationship with him - was in a way helpful.
"There is a lot of experience and expertise that, like Bruno said, 40 years of Formula 1 do. And I think everybody deserves the opportunity to come back. And for me, for sure, having another clever mind in Alpine, someone that is able to simplify things and apply common sense, is in any case, where Alpine is today, is a benefit."
"I think it's probably, as Bruno said, a step forward for Alpine," agreed Fred Vasseur. "And it's good for F1 at the end if Alpine is coming back into the fight.
"We know the story," he added, "and I think he paid the price of this and if now he's allowed to come back, he can come back."
"I never judge anyone if I don't know him personally and I didn't experience a relationship with him," said Alessandro Alunni Bravi, "so I'm not in the position to judge Flavio. I can just look at the track records he had in Formula 1 and also the inputs on the commercial side that he has given to Formula 1 in the last years, bringing sponsors, bringing new venues that have been important for the development of Formula 1.
"I think that, you know, if he's able to join the team it means that the ban is expired. So I think that, as Fred said, you know, we need to look at the future and give the people a chance, you know, to give a contribution. We need, you know, clever people in Formula 1. And I think that Flavio, we can say that he's a clever one."
As for the man himself, asked about his role and how it came about, Briatore told Sky Sports: "It's not something that happened last night. We've been talking about it for months.
"I have a great feeling with Luca, I think he's a genius," he added, referring to Renault CEO, Luca de Meo. "The only part missing is Formula 1, but I think I'm a genius in F1, so we found each other well," he laughed.
When a reporter from Canal Plus suggested that he might have lost touch with the sport, Briatore hit back: "I think you are less active than me. I stayed in Formula 1. I am a F1 ambassador, I watch all the races.
"What I bring back is the culture of winning, the racing spirit. That's what allowed me to win with Renault and Benetton. That's what makes a team... the people. There is technology but also all the members of a team, all together. We can have Alpine in the top four in two years."
Of course, Briatore, who guided the Enstone team to titles with Michael Schumacher and Alonso, is all too aware of Alpine's problems, not least the turmoil which has seen countless changes of senior personnel, and also allowed the likes of the Spaniard and Oscar Piastri to slip through its fingers.
"At the moment the problem is having a high-performance car," he said. "Pierre Gasly does the job well, and then we can put in a young man or not a young man. But it's not the priority. The priority is to have a competitive car and I hope that next season we will be on the path to do well."
Asked about the loss of Esteban Ocon, he simply said: "That's a problem which is not a problem."