Flavio Briatore is confident in a turnaround at the Alpine team. The French outfit is currently at the bottom of the Formula 1 standings this season, but with the support of Renault CEO François Provost and a promising Mercedes engine in the car, they are hoping for a revolution in 2026. After a long period of administrative turmoil, Briatore also sees a solid foundation emerging for future success.
In July, Renault announced that CEO Luca de Meo, who had been with the company since 2020, would be replaced by François Provost. Meanwhile, the Formula 1 team Alpine was dealing with its own management changes. Over the past few years, many prominent figures have left, starting with team boss Otmar Szafnauer, and Oliver Oakes also had to step down. After barely a year at the helm in Enstone, he announced his departure under controversial circumstances.
Senior advisor Flavio Briatore, who himself has had his fair share of controversies, has since been wielding the scepter at Alpine. He emphasized that Renault still stands behind the Formula 1 program, despite the current form crisis. “The new CEO is very enthusiastic about Alpine,” he said ahead of the Italian GP. “Renault wants to stay in Formula 1. I know François (Provost, ed.) very well, and actually, very little changes for us. Our chairman, Jean-Dominique Senard, is also a big supporter of Formula 1.”
Focus on 2026
However, Briatore emphasized that there is still work to be done for Alpine, which has only scored twenty World Championship points this year. “We need better results – that’s what we need to show next year,” said the Italian. “But this year is very complicated for us.” To increase the chances for 2026, Alpine is switching to Mercedes engines. “We are putting a lot of effort into the car for 2026, as Toto Wolff has already said,” Briatore assured. “But interpreting the rules remains difficult.”
“Perhaps we made a mistake by not implementing updates from the start of the season, and we are now paying the price for that,” he continued. “At the same time, ten to fifteen cars are within three tenths of each other. We know we have a big deficit in terms of power, in terms of the engine, but that’s why we want to quickly forget this year. Hopefully, we will fare better in 2026.” To further enhance stability within the team, Steve Nielsen has been brought in as general manager. The British engineer was already the sporting director of the team during Renault’s heyday. “That’s good news, I’ve known Steve for a long time,” Briatore concluded. “We need someone like him – a team manager. I expect him to take charge from A to Z.”
