Until the arrival of Mattia Binotto last summer as the new team boss, Alessandro Alunni Bravi led the Stake F1 Sauber team on the circuit. As an ‘interim pope’, he contributes to the transition to Audi. About his role, what’s next, and everyday life. “Going to the supermarket with my wife, wonderful.”
Just a moment: while the now returned to Alpine in Formula 1, Flavio Briatore, is moving through the paddock with exaggerated gestures, a relaxed Alessandro Alunni Bravi is quietly telling his story inside one of the hospitality rooms of the slowest team on the grid. Two Italians, but the contrast could not be greater: one flamboyant, the other calm and relaxed.
The latter also comes to the fore when Alunni Bravi talks about the person behind the team representative. Wonderfully down-to-earth, this man who will celebrate his fiftieth birthday at the end of this month. “People might imagine that as a team leader in Formula 1, you also go from private jet to private jet. But that’s not the case, you know.”
‘Not what we expected’
He continues: “I have, what I call, a normal life: I live in Switzerland, not in some huge house, but in a normal apartment somewhere in Lugano. And I always enjoy going to the local supermarket with my wife. I’ve known her since 1992, from school. Normal guy, normal life.”
Inevitably, the conversation soon turns to the disappointingly poor sporting season. A challenging year, right? It elicits a gracious smile from Alunni Bravi, a nod of the head. Then comes an honest answer. “Your description of our season sounds still kind, thank you. It was and is more than challenging. It’s not what we hoped for and not what we expected, that’s clear.
