Briatore on Leclerc: “In qualifying, the best on the grid”
Flavio Briatore has big plans for Alpine © Formula 1
Back as an advisor to Alpine, the 74-year-old Italian gave his no-holds-barred view of F1 in an interview with Corriere della Sera.
In a recent interview with Corriere della Sera, Flavio Briatore revealed his ambitions for Alpine following his surprise return to Formula 1. “I have to hurry up and win. I’m 74 and I don’t have much time,” says the Monegasque resident, who is aiming for the world title by 2026-2027.
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Briatore explains that his return came about quite naturally: “I called Luca De Meo and said to him: ‘I’ve got a bit of time, if you want I can lend a hand’.” He adds that he feels a special bond with the team: “Luciano Benetton and I created the Enstone factory. We won seven world championships with the team, with Schumacher and Alonso.”
His views on drivers
Briatore was full of praise for Charles Leclerc: “I consider Charles to be one of the fastest drivers, the best in qualifying.” He indirectly criticises Ferrari’s decision to sign Lewis Hamilton : “No, I wouldn’t have taken him. Ferrari already had two very strong drivers: Leclerc and Sainz. It was a great duo, but Ferrari had other ideas.”
And the Italian is full of admiration for Max Verstappen: “The era of dominance is over. Last year, he won the title, and he was incredible even when the car wasn’t competitive. He can do magic.”
His management style
Briatore revealed his management philosophy: “Motivation raises everyone up. I’ve seen people come in at 3 am to produce a part that could be earn us a position, they finally can believe in it.”
As for Jack Doohan, who starts the season in the shadow of Franco Colapinto, who has been recruited as the third driver, Briatore takes a pragmatic view: “Doohan will start, and then we’ll assess our situation. The drivers are the team’s CEOs; they are the ones who deliver the results. In F1, we check the balance sheet every Sunday.”