Flavio Briatore is making a comeback in Formula 1. The Italian has been appointed as an advisor to the French team, Alpine. The official announcement was made this morning, following a briefing to the staff last night.
The eccentric Italian has had a successful past in Formula 1, serving as team boss for Benetton and Renault. He led both teams to world titles with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, respectively.
However, Briatore was later forced to leave Formula 1 due to his involvement in Crashgate, a scandal in which Nelson Piquet Jr. was instructed to deliberately crash in Singapore in 2008, aiding teammate Fernando Alonso to victory. Initially, Briatore was banned for life, but this punishment was later overturned by a French court.
Alpine’s decision to bring in Briatore comes in a week when it was revealed that Renault might consider withdrawing as an engine supplier. Alpine is having yet another challenging season with drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, who have a particularly strained relationship. This tension recently led to a crash at the GP in Monaco. The team will part ways with Ocon after this season.
In the World Championship standings, Alpine is currently in eighth place with a mere five points.
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