Flavio Briatore: growing Alpine with Colapinto, Gasly + Gucci
F1 Beyond The Grid
Flavio Briatore: growing Alpine with Colapinto, Gasly + GucciF1 Beyond The Grid · Jun 23, 2026
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Flavio Breatori
Flavio Briatore is a well-known Formula 1 team boss. He’s advising Alpine here and the hosts are comparing his past success to what he’s trying to do with the team now.
Alpine is the Formula 1 team in this conversation. They’re talking about how Alpine is improving and what changes are coming that could help it compete for wins.
Term
P10
P10 refers to finishing 10th in a race or session classification. In Formula 1, where points and momentum matter, moving from P10 toward higher positions is a sign of improvement in competitiveness.
“Mercedes engines” means Alpine will be using engines from Mercedes in F1. In F1, the engine is a huge part of how fast the car can go and how reliably it can finish races.
“Benetton 2.0” is basically the idea of making Alpine feel like the old Benetton—aiming to recreate that earlier success. The host is asking whether Flavio is trying to repeat a proven winning approach.
Jackie Stewart is a legendary former Formula 1 driver and team figure. The host brings him up as part of a story about a dramatic decision in the past.
Drive to Survive is a Netflix series about Formula 1. They mention it because it’s where some of the criticism and drama around drivers gets shown to a wider audience.
In Formula One, a simulator is a high-fidelity driving and engineering tool used to model car behavior and driver inputs. Teams use it to develop setups and train drivers, so the speaker’s claim that the team is “the simulator of this difference” points to simulation being a key part of performance improvement.
A balance sheet is a company’s financial snapshot. The speaker is using it as a metaphor to say their team tracks things more often than most businesses.
The World Championship is the big season title in Formula One. Drivers and teams earn points race-by-race, and the person/team with the most points at the end wins.
“Confidence game” here means mindset and belief can strongly affect how well someone performs. The speaker thinks confidence and communication can change results.
Telemetry is the car’s live data that the team can monitor while it’s running. The point here is that the driver shouldn’t be distracted by watching that data—he should just drive well.
A “defensive masterclass” means the driver defended really well during the race. Instead of giving up the position, he used smart moves to keep the other car behind.
“Formula One” is the top level of open-wheel racing being talked about. They’re saying the driver needs to think about the bigger picture in that kind of racing.
Michael Schumacher was one of the greatest Formula 1 race drivers ever. Here, he’s mentioned as an example of a team having a standout star who helps them win big.
Max Verstappen is a superstar Formula 1 driver who has won World Championships. In this discussion, he’s used as the benchmark for what it takes to win at the very top.
Red Bull is one of the major Formula 1 teams. Here it’s mentioned because when Red Bull had a very strong car, the team started getting incredible results.
“Toto” here means Toto Wolff, a key leader in Formula 1. Briatore is talking about team decision-making and the tension that can come with signing or promoting drivers.
Brand
McLaren 2007
McLaren 2007 is a reference to the McLaren team’s 2007 season. The point is that big driver/team decisions can create intense drama, and he’s saying it reminds him of that era.
Hamilton is Lewis Hamilton, one of the most successful Formula 1 drivers. Here he’s mentioned as someone who was underestimated at first, then proved how fast he really was.
Kovalainen is Heikki Kovalainen, a former Formula 1 driver. Briatore is using him as an example of how people can underestimate a driver until they see how quickly they can go.
Gucci is a luxury fashion brand. The speaker is saying Gucci being involved in Formula 1 is a sign the sport is getting bigger and more attractive to major global brands.
He’s talking about Formula 1 being run by a new company (Liberty Media). The idea is that the sport’s business side changed, which helped it grow faster.
Term
safe one is in charge
The host is talking about who’s running Formula 1 and how that affects growth. The exact name in the transcript is unclear, but the message is that leadership changes helped the sport expand quickly.
Ron Dennis is a major Formula 1 boss, especially associated with McLaren. Here, he’s brought up as part of the behind-the-scenes effort to make racing in the U.S. happen.
Bernie Ecclestone was the person who ran Formula 1’s business for many years. The guest is saying Stefano runs things differently than Bernie did.
LIVE
Under the leadership of Flavio Breatori, Alpine are making progress.
I arrived last year in Formula 1 with Alpine.
Alpine was P10, but from P10 we've done a good job, but we just did the beginning.
It's really demanding time to managing a team like Alpine, but I love it.
With Mercedes engines powering them, Gucci arriving as the team's main sponsor in 2027
and a strong driver lineup, the pieces are falling into place for Alpine to fight at the front.
Franco is integrating much better in the team, he's improving a lot.
I believe Pierre is one of the top six drivers.
Hello and welcome to F1 Beyond the Grid with me, Tom Clarkson,
and Alpine's Executive Advisor, Flavio Breatori.
Flavio has a huge history of success with Team Endstone in his various guises.
He led Benetton to world championships with Michael Schumacher in the 90s,
before then repeating that feat with Renault and Fernando Alonso in the 2000s.
So how does he achieve the same with Alpine now?
I asked Flavio if he's trying to create Benetton 2.0, whether he has a time scale
for the team to fight for titles and what he makes of his drivers, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colopinto.
In typical Flavio fashion, he tells some funny stories about replacing Jensen Button with Alonso
at Renault, firing Jackie Stewart, and his rather direct criticism of Franco in the latest series
of Drive to Survive. And Flavio also talks about the deal that will see them become
Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One team from next season.
Oh, sure. How do you juggle everything?
First, I saw the big part of the business, the food and beverage last year.
So now I'm pretty much organized. I have a young manager and normally I spend
one hour a day for food and beverage, if you want, and the rest is Formula One.
Formula One keeps 90% of my time.
Look, and how much are you enjoying your racing this year? Because you've already
doubled the tally of points from 2025. The team feels like it's really buzzing at the moment.
Don't forget, we've done the agreement with Mercedes, we've changed a lot our
performances in the track and give more motivation to everybody. And I enjoy enjoying the way I
arrived last year in Formula One with Alpine. Alpine was P10 because it was not Cadillac yet.
You know, we are P11. But from P10, we've done a good jump, but we're just at the beginning.
How different is Team Endstone today to when you last ran it 20 years ago?
The building is the same. Maybe we are the simulator of this difference. There are a few new
machinery and this and that. But the team is the same. The quality of the people is good.
And we have a lot of young people in the team in Endstone. I don't see any difference. The
entrance is the same, my office is the same, and everything is the same. I don't see everybody's
very competitive. It's Formula One. The DNA of Formula One never changes.
And the DNA of the team hasn't changed? Because I remember you 20 years ago as a team
that was full of just out and out races with some big characters like Jonathan Wheatley,
Alan Permane. Now both are a team principle and I'm very happy, you know, because I have a
fantastic career in Formula One, both guys. But you know, in Formula One, we are very good to
creating a monster. And now is the time to build up again a team, to build up again the motivation
and make sure that people are doing the right job in the team and make sure that people are
motivating, make sure that everything is transparent and it's a really demanding time,
you know, to managing a team like Pin. But I love it. You know, back in my job, if you want,
I've done quite well in Benetton and Renault. And now I try to help Pin to be competitive.
And we need doing everything is possible to motivate everybody to doing the best job is
possible. And the result is always Sunday, you know, we have a company, our balance sheet,
normal companies presenting the balance sheet every six months. Our balance sheet is every week.
But you need to put everything together, you need a little bit of time.
How difficult is it to build a winning team these days by the time you've factored in
gardening leave and budgets? And is it harder to build that team today than it was 20 years ago?
Yeah, because the price of the people is changed as well. Everybody is looking at the same river.
We need to try from people outside of Formula One as well to enjoy the team. You know,
Formula One is very difficult in one way. It's very simple in another way. But we
complicate in Formula One a lot. You know, we have an hour, hour of the meeting, one for nothing.
We need to concentrate to the performance of the product you have. I believe whatever product
you have, the system is the same, you managing people. For this, we need, we need looking as well
outside of the circuit of Formula One to have the right people to have the right job, etc, etc.
As well, it's a lot of the new blood or new people enthusiastic to working for a racing team.
And maybe it's not in the racing team yet. We need fishing, all these kind of people as well.
But where are you doing your fishing, as you say? What industries are you looking at?
At the university, at the dynamic, and etc, etc. You know, in automotive.
We believe there is a lot of talent around the world, especially now. You know,
especially now is a lot of the young talent. We need the capacity to individuate the right people
for doing the right job. And this is the effort I do myself. I do it with my people,
I do it with engineering. And like the racing team, the racing team this year is much, much
better than last year. But would you agree that Formula One is a unique ecosystem where
some people find it hard to survive, right? Coming in from other industries, some people find
the way things are done here, just the intensity of it, it's seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
Not everyone wants that. Yeah, if you see in the, in the food and beverage business,
the same. You're working summer, you're working Christmas, you're working New Year's, you know.
It's the same. You tell me Formula One is very demanding. I tell you about the restaurant,
it's very demanding. I talk about restaurant, important restaurant. You know, you don't have
day off. Basically, you have the day off, summer you're working, winter you're working, and the
Christmas you're working, New Year's is the best night. So, we don't need to create in Formula
One the more difficult, tough and these and that and that. It's not the one business,
the much tougher in a Formula One. You make less money in a Formula One.
Are you putting a time scale on when you want to be challenging for the World Championship?
Because other teams are doing that. Williams have come out recently saying,
2030, they want to be challenging for the title. Audi have given the same timeline. And of course,
the people currently challenging for the World Championship want to still be there as well.
Not everyone can win. What's your time scale for, for helping?
I don't have it. What did you make of Laurent Rossi when he was in charge of Alpine?
He said, we need to be successful in 100 races. I don't know him at all. I never talk with him.
I don't know what he's talking about. Whatever he was talking was wrong.
Okay, so there's no, no timeline. Can we talk drivers? Last year you
re-signed Pierre on a long-term deal. Why was that important for you?
I believe Pierre is one of the top six drivers. First, we need fixing the car. In that,
we need the performance of the car. And after that, I don't think so. The issue for me,
this moment is the driver. The issue for me, I have a much better performance in the car.
The moment you have the performance of the car, you're looking for a driver. But I'm happy with
what I am. I'm happy with Pierre. Pierre is a very underestimating driver, if you want.
And for me, if you want to put the leading group, ask me the name because I never tell you,
but the leading group, Pierre is one of the top six. And Franco, we don't know. If you see last
year Antonelli, nobody believed last year the performance of Antonelli in 2026. And Franco
is integrating much better in the team, is improving a lot, mentally, technically,
relationship with the team. Let's see. At the same time, with Renault. When I say
Fernando, you remember Fernando, I send one year Fernando in Minardi to understand. And after I
choose Fernando to replace in Jensenbato, you guys who go crazy, all the British players go crazy.
I don't think we did. He fired the World Champion to take the Spanish guy and blah, blah, blah.
I always tell you, only the future tell me if I was right or not. I was right.
You were right. But I think we did recognize the talent.
No, after. You recognized after when start winning race, absolutely. I remember the press
conference and then it's in the motorhome with your guys. Because you manage in the guy, because
of this and that, because of this and that. You fired the World Champion, blah, blah, blah.
Anyway, story is the same. First, let's see to improving our technical department.
And after that, we're looking for what kind of possibility we have. In just 2028,
we have an agreement with Pierre. He's doing super job.
Has he stepped up into the sort of team leader role, as you would have hoped?
Yes. Yes, 100%. He's a natural leader.
100%. Leader by leader, you start knowing better. And honestly, he's a leader. He's
very, very integrated with the team. And he's working very hard in the simulator,
maybe too many, too much. Again, the simulator now is we have a double race. We are the race
in the track. We are the racing simulator. Pierre is a very nice guy, very nice family.
And the team is very transparent with him. And the team is very transparent with us.
You know, only in this way, you're working together. A lot of time in the team,
try to keep secret, to keep this and that. With me, no secret anymore. With everybody,
you be transparent, everybody, and you know what he's doing, etc., etc. Only like this,
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Can I ask you more about Franco? Because we have seen
an extraordinary turnaround by him this year. Why do you think that is?
We work very hard with him. He's moving to Monaco. I see him a lot in Monaco. We're talking a lot
with him. You know, this young driver arriving from around with a lot of pressure. And to settle
mentally is not easy. We need help. We've done a lot of work with Franco. And now little by little
the confidence are right. He's a talent. Okay, just forget. He's a talent. I don't know
our level of talent we arrive with him. But surely he's a talent. This is under percent.
Like Antonelli, Rasira, are a talent. This year, show up the talent. Franco is not show
up the talent completely because still in this way. But honestly, if you tell me, I don't know.
Let's see. Flavio, can I remind you of a quote from Drive to Survive? Yeah, I don't know.
This series. You are the problem you have to understand is what you said to Franco. Was that
a bit much? Do you regret being that hard on him? No. You know, it's always this feeling about the
driver is untouchable. And the mechanic is working day and night. The last night that is our mechanic
is finished at two o'clock in the morning. When you talk about the driver, you need very careful
to talk with the driver. Very careful. No, it's not like that. The driver is the manager, the
director of the company. The driver is bringing the result to the team. And you need to tell the
truth. What I believe and it's that to the driver. I don't go in the back to talk with the press.
So once you know what, no, I go in front to him. The problem is you. Simple as that.
Now, the problem is not a problem anymore, because Franco is performing well. At the time,
what's the problem? I tell him, between you and Pierre, you have a thousand people working for
your guys. And you need respect. These thousand people working for your guys. Sure, with different
salaries. You need to demonstrate to me, you doing everything is possible to perform.
It's a confidence game, this isn't it? Is that the main difference we've seen in Franco?
The confidence is there. And, you know, before you had the briefing, he was looking always
what we are doing. You know, I told him, it's wrong. You need to drive in the car in your way.
You don't need to drive in the car thinking about the telemetry, this and that. You have a talent.
And tell Franco, you need driving the car like you enjoy driving the car. This is the job you
like. Enjoy the job. Yeah, talking about enjoying the job. When he did the show car run in Buenos
Aires, and what was it? 600,000 people came out to watch him. That was just before Miami,
when we saw the turnaround. I mean, I was in the beginning already. You saw it already before.
But sure. Actually, there was another, he did a defensive masterclass in China, didn't he?
I never believed it. I believe in 10,000, 20, half million people to see nothing,
because everybody was behind everybody. You have half million people see nothing.
And the strangest, Franco never won nothing. I still don't understand these half million people
or more or 600 standing there for Franco. I don't understand.
You've always seen the bigger picture in Formula One. Would you like to see a race in Argentina,
back in Argentina? Well, Flavio, give us an exclusive. Is your intention to retain
Franco for 2027? In Franco, it's performing like it's performing now. And the relationship
between Franco and Pierre is like now. It's the same we have with Alonso at the time,
with Fisicaela, with truly super relationship. Why not? I prefer, I know Franco very well now,
Vino Pierre very well. We are in the moment to build up the technique, to build up the team.
Consistency, maybe. We have plenty of race to go, just to the end of August.
And before the summer break, we decide. In the past, your main successes have come
based around one big driver, was Michael Schumacher at Benetton, obviously, then Fernando at Renault.
Do you think the icing on the cake for Alpine to be challenging for world championships,
do you need a Max Verstappen in the team? Or can you do it a slightly different way this time?
First, I need the wallet. I don't have this kind of money. I agree. Max Verstappen is a
super driver. The Alonso, the Schumacher, in this moment is the number one driver.
I believe as well, if you are a competitive car, you see Max, the moment that Red Bull was a super car,
like we are Mercedes now, Mercedes are super cars, in delivery, incredible, incredible results.
And if you tell me six months ago, between Antonelli and Max, you take, you know, everybody
takes Max. Now I think so. Toto have a drama, because he never spent Antonelli so quick.
I love having a drama like Toto. But it reminds me of McLaren 2007, a long time ago.
Fernando, because Rondini's underestimated Hamilton completely. You remember, Rondini was
the one on my driver, Kovalainen. And Rondini's, the time that she made Kovalainen was a superstar.
I give it to him, because I believe it was not a superstar. After that, we arrived into the two guys,
Fernando and Hamilton. After one race, Rondini started to understand how quick was,
now it's the same situation up into Toto. Yeah. Different topic. Can we talk Gucci?
Yes, I love it. Are you going to be the best looking team in the paddock next year? Is that the plan?
We work in six months, seven months. And for five months, nobody know we negotiated with Gucci,
because we have only a few people involved in the negotiation. After the moment,
you involve more people and everybody talking, etc., etc. Gucci is still one of the three best
brands in the world. I need something in my team to upgrading the name of the team.
A great thing, more important for me was Gucci Alpine Alpine Guap, because Gucci is up already.
We have the first luxury brand in the car, in Formula One. We are Louis Vuitton,
it's part of the sponsor of the event. Gucci is in the arena. And for this, it was so big
interest, if you want, in the Gucci deal. It was 1.2 billion visualizations.
You see all the media, you know, what was crazy. And more important, the people for Gucci is very
enthusiastic to be in Formula One. So you reckon, we remotivate everybody in Gucci. Gucci needs
to be remotivating. So I believe it's a super deal with both, with the team, with Gucci brand,
the finance as well. We have it from Gucci. I saw they photographed their summer collection in
Monaco. So they're already super. We do the merchandising, we do one line of merchandising
every shop, Gucci. You see, we have the place I have in Monaco in the beach, you know, La Rose
de Ville. Now it's branded by Gucci. You have every day girls arriving with Gucci dress with
Instagram to make sure this is the restaurant. We are ready last year for the book because this
place is for the book from the moment they take over. But now we are over, over for the book.
And what is amazing is that all the women's arriving with Gucci dress is unbelievable. I
never, I believe was a successful deal. If I say to you, this feels like Benetton 2.0. Is that an
comparison of what you're trying to do here? 100%. You are trying to do 100%. Benetton was,
you know, we are a t-shirt maker. Do you remember on Dennis? On Dennis, on daytime,
you never make it because you're so good to make a t-shirt and this is different business.
It is what you asked me first. It's not different business. It's managing people.
And we're done with Benetton with zero minus 12 experience. You know, I never see other ways
in my life. I never see a Formula 1 race once. Only one guy I know for Formula 1 was Jackie Stewart
because he was living in my building in New York. And Jackie at the time was the face of Ford.
You see him in television all the time in the spot. Did you chat to Jackie back in the day?
I remember. I put the counter with Jackie. I had the counter with Jackie. And after 23
days, Jackie took an hour. You're in the shit, you know. So Jackie, I know myself, I am in the
shit. I fire him. You fire Jackie. Yeah, Jackie Stewart. And we see very good friends, you know,
at the time. I know I am in the trouble. If I take somebody to help me, tell me, you are in the
trouble. I don't need any help. I know myself, I am in the trouble. And our collaboration was
finished, if you need to. Look, final topic, Flavio, is just where Formula 1 is at. Because
I think Gucci coming in says great things about Alpine, but it also says great things about the
sport of Formula 1. How much more do you think Formula 1 can grow? Do you think there's still a
lot of room? Formula 1, the moment liberty take over and the moment the safe one is in charge,
is growing massively in very quick time. If you see all the sponsors of Formula 1,
we have the best sponsor in the world between what we have in the car, what we have in the
two sponsors, the event, et cetera, et cetera. We have Gucci now in the car, and we have Louis
Vuitton as well. The two luxury brands in the world. Stefano realized as well to have Gucci
in Formula 1 is a big brand. To have both brand like this in the basket of Formula 1, I believe
is fantastic. But Formula 1, now the level of Formula 1 is very high. You was very young at the
time of Benetton. We tried to race in America, and we had the agreement, including Ron Dennis,
because that's always the difficult guy to pay for racing America. Nobody wants us.
And now we go to Austin, and we have 500,000 people for the weekend. What have people done,
you know, in friend with Stefano for a long time, but they've done a super job, super, super job.
You've always been very close to the movers and shakers at the very top of Formula 1. You're very
close to Bernie Eccleston. You're very close to Stefano now. How different is Stefano's way
of running the sport to Bernie? Motor successful. Stefano is much more open,
and much more modern, if you want. It's two different ways. And Bernie was a one-way boss.
Stefano's thinking about it, and every time he's working much close with the team,
he's working close with the sponsor, he's more disposal to the team principle or whatever.
Both in different times have a very good success. But the Formula 1 will never be successful right
now. This is the reality. Flavio, it has been a real pleasure to catch up again. Thank you very
much for your time. Final question. Who's going to win the World Cup? Football. I hope Brazil.
Why Brazil? I don't know, because Ancelotti is the coach.
And you know, is he a friend? No, I know my friend. I know him very well. And
if I want to pick up some team, Brazil is the more talent club in the World Cup.
Plus, it depends on the coach if we put all this talent together. But I think so. I support Brazil.
Flavio, thank you very much for your time. Thank you, guys.
With Italy not at the World Cup, I expected him to find an Italian link. So Brazil it is.
I really enjoyed this chat with Flavio. He was in good form and as irreverent as ever.
The driver is the managing director of the company. Now, I've never thought of it like that,
but he's absolutely right. And he came down with some strong support for both Pierre and Franco,
didn't he? You have to hand it to Flavio. Since he took over the reins at Alpine,
the trajectory has been upwards. It'll be fascinating to see how high and how quickly
they can climb. Flavio, thanks for your time. And I look forward to seeing you again soon.
Well, that's almost it for this week. Before you take your headphones off,
why not check out F1's other official podcasts? F1 Nation's preview of the Austrian Grand Prix
with myself, Jolie and Palmer and James Hinchcliffe is out now. We discuss whether Ferrari and
Mercedes have some difficult decisions to make ahead of a potential championship battle.
And this week's episode of F1 Explains is all about the role of driver managers. With Carlos
Sainz's manager Carlos Onoro, that'll be on the F1 Nation feed from Friday.
Thanks very much for listening. I will of course be back next week with another big name from the
world of Formula One. F1 Beyond the Grid is produced by Formula One and AudioBoom Studios.
Until next time, keep it flat out.
About this episode
Flavio Briatore and the hosts dig into Alpine’s turnaround, linking recent improvement to a Mercedes agreement and a relentless, “seven days a week, 24 hours a day” team culture. They discuss how building a championship challenge starts with “fixing the car,” then driver decisions and development. Briatore also frames Gucci’s arrival as a sign of F1’s global growth, citing “1.2 billion visualizations,” and compares the strategy to “Benetton 2.0.”
Flavio Briatore and ‘Team Enstone’ go back a long way. As Benetton in the 90’s, he led them to multiple World Championships with Michael Schumacher. And as Renault in the 2000s, he did the same with Fernando Alonso. So how can he achieve similar success with Alpine? Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Flavio talks about the progress the team have made since he became Executive Advisor, what he makes of his drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, and whether he has a timescale for Alpine to be fighting for titles. Flavio also shares some funny anecdotes about replacing Jenson Button with Alonso at Renault, firing Jackie Stewart and his criticism of Franco in the latest series of Drive to Survive.
Plus, Flav tells Tom about the arrival of Gucci as the team’s main sponsor in 2027.
This episode is sponsored by:
CarGurus: go to cargurus.co.uk for complete vehicle details without any surprises
