BARCELONA (Reuters) – Former Benetton and Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore has been appointed executive advisor to Alpine by Renault chief executive Luca de Meo, the French carmaker’s team announced on Friday.
The 74-year-old Italian businessman remains a controversial figure in Formula 1 due to his involvement in one of the biggest scandals in the sport’s history.
Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet Junior’s intentional accident during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix became known as “Crashgate” and led to then-Renault boss Flavio Briatore being banned for life from Formula 1 in 2009.
This ban was later overturned by a French court in 2010.
Flavio Briatore had previously led Renault to its most successful period in Formula 1 with Fernando Alonso’s two world championship titles in 2005 and 2006. He also led Benetton when Michael Schumacher won his first titles in 1994 and 1995.
“BWT Alpine F1 Team confirms that Flavio Briatore is appointed by Luca de Meo, Renault Group CEO, as executive advisor for Formula 1 activities,” Alpine said at the Spanish Grand Prix.
“Briatore will focus primarily on the team’s areas of strategic expertise, including key talent acquisition and the pilot market. He will be expected to propose developments to the current project structure and advise on all strategic matters discipline.”
Alpine is struggling this season and sits eighth in the constructors’ standings with just five points from nine races.
(Written by Alan Baldwin in London, French version Vincent Daheron, edited by Blandine Hénault)
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