The sudden resignation of Alpine team boss Oliver Oakes caused much confusion in the paddock. Not only because his departure followed the arrest of his brother, but also because the team did not immediately appoint a replacement. Top advisor Flavio Briatore, who has previously pulled the strings in Enstone, was supposed to take over his duties, but was not officially appointed as Alpine team boss. In the meantime, race director Dave Greenwood has been put forward, although Briatore remains supreme.
“Alpine race director Dave Greenwood has been appointed as team representative,” the team clarified in the run-up to the Emilia-Romagna GP. From now on, he is in charge for ‘administrative purposes with all relevant stakeholders’. However, Flavio Briatore remains the de facto team boss of Alpine. “He has full control, including the tasks previously fulfilled by Oliver Oakes,” the French racing stable emphasized.
According to BBC Sport, there is a reason why Briatore cannot become an official team boss. “He is not a staff member and does not hold a Formula 1 license, as required of people with such authority according to the FIA staff registration,” the British medium reported. The 75-year-old Italian was hired on a consultancy basis by Renault CEO Luca de Meo and therefore actually works for the parent company. In the eyes of the FIA, he is therefore not responsible for the team.
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“Race director Dave Greenwood is the dedicated responsible person,” Alpine responded when asked. When asked why Briatore is not a staff member or license holder, the team stated that he remains ‘executive advisor and consultant’. “There is nothing else going on, there is nothing to read into. Alpine has complied with all legal requirements regarding Mr. Oakes’ departure and has submitted the updated staff registration.”
Indeed, this is the second time Briatore has taken the helm at Alpine. Previously, he held sway at the then Benetton and Renault. With legendary drivers like Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, he won multiple championships, although Briatore is now primarily known for his involvement in crashgate. In 2008, the Italian instructed driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to crash deliberately. The subsequent safety car helped Alonso win the race. This resulted in a lifetime ban for Briatore, although a French court later acquitted him, allowing him to make a comeback at the current Alpine.
Note: The caption text “Dave Greenwood is the new chief representative of Alpine, but behind the scenes, Flavio Briatore holds sway (Getty Images)” has been excluded as per the instructions to exclude image captions and references to visual content.
