Flavio Briatore: controversial, but the right man for Alpine now
General
He is now 74 years old, reared by life, but Flavio Briatore has never lost his characteristic charm. Take a look at his Instagram account and you will see a well-suited Italian, enjoying life with his family and friends as famous as they are influential. He leaves all that behind for now, as Briatore embarks on a new adventure in Formula 1 with Alpine as executive advisor.
Especially since 2008, Briatore has been a controversial figure in Formula 1. Indeed, it was under the leadership of the flamboyant Italian that Nelson Piquet Jr. at the time deliberately crashed his Renault in Singapore, so that teammate Fernando Alonso could win the race. A lifetime ban from the sport of Briatore following this controversy was eventually reversed, which allowed the Italian to remain active in Formula 1 - albeit in the background.
Briatore wants to win at all costs
Thus, Briatore is the manager of several drivers (including Alonso), has sponsorship interests with several companies in F1 teams and - the irony - he even assists the F1 organisation. Yet the events of 2008 have never been completely forgotten and Briatore remains a person you either love or loathe. The events in Singapore are the ultimate proof that, in his eyes, anything goes when it comes to winning. Anything.
Seen in this light, it is easy to understand why Renault - Alpine's parent company - would come to Briatore. Think of him as a last resort to still make something of the ever-failing team. If anyone can make Alpine succeed - win even - it is Briatore. He has proved that often enough in the past. And if Briatore doesn't succeed, no one will.
Renault in the shop window?
In that case, the Italian is also the right person to have on board. Briatore has become a multimillionaire with his companies and is known as a real deal maker. If Renault decides to sell (part of) their F1 division - those rumours are certainly further fuelled with Briatore's arrival - he is the perfect man to find a suitable buyer.
Renault currently own 76% of the F1 team Alpine, having disposed of the remaining shares late last year. With Formula 1 booming, Briatore could undoubtedly win the top prize for Renault, with Andretti Global and perhaps China's Geely as potential buyers. But that is surely phase two; initially, Briatore will come in to Alpine and do an analysis of how the team are doing. And that is unlikely to be easy.