Alpine announce further team changes as Flavio Briatore returns in Executive Advisor role

Flavio Briatore is making a return to Formula 1 in an official capacity after the Renault-backed Alpine team announced the Italian businessman as their new Executive Advisor.

Briatore, now 74, has long been connected with the sport, initially serving as Benetton’s team boss through the 1990s and achieving title success with Michael Schumacher.

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After a spell away, Briatore made a comeback when Renault took over the Enstone-based squad at the turn of the millennium, again overseeing the operation as their Team Principal.

Briatore added more titles with Fernando Alonso in the mid-noughties, before vacating his position in 2009 and taking some more time out of F1.

Now, via several other business ventures and activities, Briatore will embark on a fresh stint with ‘Team Enstone’ as he gets set to assist Renault chiefs in their quest to drive Alpine up the F1 grid.

“BWT Alpine F1 Team can confirm that Flavio Briatore has been appointed by Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo as his Executive Advisor for the Formula One Division,” read a brief media bulletin from Alpine.

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It added that he will “predominantly focus on top level areas of the team”.

This includes “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”.

Alpine have endured a tough start to the 2024 season, scoring just five points from the nine rounds so far and holding P8 in the constructors’ standings.