Latest news with #FlavioBriatore
The Independent
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
F1 Spanish GP LIVE: Qualifying updates as Piastri goes for pole after setting pace in final practice
F1 next rolls on to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix and the last edition of the event to take place in Catalunya. The Spanish GP will relocate to Madrid next year, though Barcelona is expected to finish its current contract with a final race in 2026. Lando Norris won last time out in Monaco, reducing the gap in the world championship to leader and teammate Oscar Piastri to just three points. Charles Leclerc finished in second for Ferrari's second podium of the season. Max Verstappen, who finished fourth in Monaco, won last year's race in Spain while Lewis Hamilton will be eyeing further improvement, particularly in light of a new FIA clampdown on flexi-wings this weekend. F1 SPANISH GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES The Spanish GP grid will be decided as qualifying kicks off at 3pm BST Qualifying comes after the final practice session which saw Oscar Piastri go fastest McLaren reigned supreme in Friday's sessions with Piastri and Norris setting the pace Alpine boss Flavio Briatore 'should not be back in F1', says Johnny Herbert Johnny Herbert believes Flavio Briatore should 'not be back in F1 ' after the Italian maverick returned to the paddock with Alpine as de facto team principal. Briatore, 75, will enact all the duties of former team principal Oliver Oakes after the Briton's resignation three weeks ago, due to personal reasons. While Briatore's official title will remain 'executive adviser', he is effectively back as team boss 17 years after the 2008 Crashgate scandal, when he was initially given a lifetime ban from the sport for his role as Renault team principal in Nelson Piquet Jnr's deliberate crash in Singapore. Briatore's ban was later overturned in the French courts but, given his chequered past, ex-F1 driver Herbert believes it's wrong that the Italian has returned in a team-leading capacity in the paddock. Alpine boss Flavio Briatore 'should not be back in F1', says Johnny Herbert Briatore is de facto team principal at Alpine, 17 years on from his role in F1's infamous 'Crashgate' scandal Will Castle31 May 2025 14:40 Carlos Sainz opens up on Red Bull F1 rejection after Ferrari axe Carlos Sainz has opened up on Red Bull rejecting the chance to sign him last year after he was axed by Ferrari in favour of Lewis Hamilton. 'I spoke with Red Bull, but they didn't want me,' Sainz told the El Cafelito Podcast, from Chiringuito Inside. 'For various reasons, we couldn't reach an agreement. People who know about F1 probably know why Red Bull didn't want me. 'I have nothing against them or their decision-making.' Carlos Sainz opens up on Red Bull F1 rejection after Ferrari axe The Spanish driver was a contender to become Max Verstappen's teammate but instead moved to Williams Will Castle31 May 2025 14:20 Susie Wolff: 'F1 is not a man's world anymore' Susie Wolff, managing director of the all-female racing series F1 Academy, speaks to Kieran Jackson about the growing number of women in motorsport and when she is targeting a female driver on the grid: Susie Wolff: 'F1 is not a man's world anymore' Wolff, managing director of the all-female racing series F1 Academy, speaks to Kieran Jackson about the growing number of women in motorsport and when she is targeting a female driver on the grid Will Castle31 May 2025 14:00 2025 F1 calendar in full ROUND 9 - SPAIN Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya - 30 May-1 June ROUND 10 - CANADA Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal - 13-15 June ROUND 11 - AUSTRIA Red Bull Ring, Spielberg - 27-29 June ROUND 12 - GREAT BRITAIN Silverstone Circuit - 4-6 July ROUND 13 - BELGIUM (sprint weekend) Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - 25-27 July ROUND 14 - HUNGARY Hungaroring, Budapest - 1-3 August ROUND 15 - NETHERLANDS Circuit Zandvoort - 29-31 August ROUND 16 - ITALY Monza Circuit - 5-7 September ROUND 17 - AZERBAIJAN Baku City Circuit - 19-21 September ROUND 18 - SINGAPORE Marina Bay Street Circuit - 3-5 October Circuit of the Americas, Austin - 17-19 October ROUND 20 - MEXICO Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City - 24-26 October ROUND 21 - BRAZIL (sprint weekend) Interlagos Circuit, Sao Paulo - 7-9 November ROUND 22 - LAS VEGAS Las Vegas Street Circuit - 20-22 November Lusail International Circuit, Lusail - 28-30 November ROUND 24 - ABU DHABI Yas Marina Circuit - 5-7 December Will Castle31 May 2025 13:40 Oscar Piastri says relationship with Lando Norris unaffected by title battle Oscar Piastri has claimed his relationship with Lando Norris will not spiral out of control as the McLaren drivers duel to become champion of the world. 'Of course it is an interesting dynamic, but my relationship with Lando at the track, and away from the track, is very similar to how it has been, and, if anything, we get along better now than we ever have,' Piastri told the PA news agency. 'The way we work together to give ourselves the best chance of success is still as strong as ever, and that has been a strength from the moment we have been team-mates. 'We get along very well. That hasn't changed. I don't expect it to change. But obviously we are both trying to win a world championship and only one of us can do it.' Oscar Piastri says relationship with Lando Norris unaffected by title battle The McLaren pair have won six of this season's eight races between them. Will Castle31 May 2025 13:30 F1 constructor standings 1. McLaren - 317 points 2. Mercedes - 147 points 3. Red Bull - 143 points 4. Ferrari - 142 points 5. Williams - 54 points 6. Haas - 26 points 7. Racing Bulls - 22 points 8. Aston Martin - 14 points 9. Alpine - 7 points 10. Sauber - 6 points Will Castle31 May 2025 13:20 F1 driver standings 1. Oscar Piastri – 161 points 2. Lando Norris – 158 points 3. Max Verstappen – 136 points 4. George Russell – 99 points 5. Charles Leclerc – 79 points 6. Lewis Hamilton – 63 points 7. Kimi Antonelli – 48 points 8. Alex Albon – 42 points 9. Esteban Ocon – 20 points 10. Isack Hadjar – 15 points 11. Lance Stroll – 14 points 12. Carlos Sainz – 13 points 13. Yuki Tsunoda – 10 points 14. Liam Lawson – 8 points 15. Pierre Gasly – 7 points 16. Nico Hulkenberg - 6 points 17. Ollie Bearman – 6 points 18. Fernando Alonso – 0 points 19. Jack Doohan – 0 points 20. Gabriel Bortoleto – 0 points Will Castle31 May 2025 13:00 Lewis Hamilton brands speculation of Ferrari rift as 'BS' Lewis Hamilton has dismissed claims he is at odds with Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami, insisting that he is 'amazing to work with'. Addressing the post-race message ahead of this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton replied: 'It was literally just there were areas where we had radio problems through the race, and I did not get the information that I wanted. We spoke afterwards. 'There is a lot of speculation and most of it is BS. We have a great relationship. He is amazing to work with. He is a great guy. He is working so hard, we both are.' Lewis Hamilton brands speculation of Ferrari rift as 'BS' Hamilton says he has a great relationship with his Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami Will Castle31 May 2025 12:50 F1 title gamechanger? Spanish GP awaits impact of new flexi-wing rule Could round nine represent a turning point for McLaren's rivals? The much-talked-about FIA regulation change this weekend, clamping down on flexi front-wings, sees a technical change to the front of this year's cars by just 5mm. Kieran Jackson previews how the change could shake things up: F1 title gamechanger? Spanish GP awaits impact of new flexi-wing rule Will Castle31 May 2025 12:45 Top 10 in FP3 1. Piastri 2. Norris 3. Leclerc 4. Russell 5. Verstappen 6. Hadjar 7. Antonelli 8. Alonso 9. Hamilton 10. Lawson Will Castle31 May 2025 12:40
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Ryan Reynolds' F1 team to emulate Wrexham success with 2026 race win promise
Alpine F1 team boss Flavio Briatore expects a title challenge within two years, helped by the team's "glamorous image" including co-owners, Ryan Reynolds, Patrick Mahomes and Rory McIlroy Despite being co-owned by a swathe of A-list stars and sporting greats, the Alpine F1 team has recently been more accustomed to chaos than to success. But Flavio Briatore is back in full command and has promised that will soon change. The controversial Italian was brought back in as a special adviser to team owners Renault last year and, this month, assumed full command after team principal Oliver Oakes resigned. And he has promised that Alpine will be competing for race wins next year and challenging for the title in 2027. "In 2026, we can win races, I guarantee it, and in 2027, we want to be title contenders," he told French outlet Le Monde. "In 2026, there will be no excuses: we must be competitive. We owe it to Renault, to Alpine... we're in this sport to win, and with the new regulations coming in 2026, the teams that interpret them best will have the edge." That would be a remarkable turnaround for a team which sits ninth out of 10 constructors' so far this year, heading into the Spanish Grand Prix. And also one which has seen much upheaval in recent years with a swathe of high-profile departures. Sign up to our free weekly F1 newsletter, Pit Lane Chronicle, by entering your email address below so that every new edition lands straight in your inbox! Former Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi was axed in July 2023, shortly before team principal Otmar Szafnauer was sacked in the middle of that season's Belgian Grand Prix weekend. Sporting director Alan Permane also left while technical chief Pat Fry quit to join midfield rivals Williams. That was only 18 months after previous team principal Marcin Budkowski had left the role, around the same time as legendary former F1 driver Alain Prost quit as a director. Szafnauer's replacement, Bruno Famin, lasted barely a year in the job before he was moved into another role with Oakes coming in. Several high-profile drivers have also left, including Fernando Alonso, Oscar Piastri and, last year, Esteban Ocon. But there have also been plenty of famous faces joining the outfit as investors over the last 18 months with around a quarter of the team now owned by Otro Capital, which has some very notable people on board. That includes Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who'd love to emulate the success they've had since taking over Welsh football club Wrexham. Another actor on board is Michael B. Jordan, while there are also a swathe of sporting stars involved, such as footballers Trent Alexander-Arnold and Juan Mata, former boxing heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, recent Masters golf winner Rory McIlroy and Kansas City Chiefs pair Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. Getting such names on board was an idea which pre-dated Briatore's return to Renault, but he has been making the most of it. He said: "In the past, I tried to develop F1. I understood that to find major sponsors, you didn't just have to be an engine manufacturer, but also have a glamorous image. "With Benetton and Renault, we found very important sponsors, and I remember that the engineers were reluctant to this idea. They told me, 'You shouldn't have too many sponsors, because the stickers you stick on the car are too heavy.' We were the first to have someone who dealt exclusively with marketing. Today, it's almost the opposite excess, as the marketing teams are so extensive."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alpine boss Flavio Briatore ‘should not be back in F1', says Johnny Herbert
Johnny Herbert believes Flavio Briatore should 'not be back in F1' after the Italian maverick returned to the paddock with Alpine as de facto team principal. Briatore, 75, will enact all the duties of former team principal Oliver Oakes after the Briton's resignation three weeks ago, due to personal reasons. Advertisement While Briatore's official title will remain 'executive adviser', he is effectively back as team boss 17 years after the 2008 Crashgate scandal, when he was initially given a lifetime ban from the sport for his role as Renault team principal in Nelson Piquet Jnr's deliberate crash in Singapore. Briatore's ban was later overturned in the French courts but, given his chequered past, ex-F1 driver Herbert believes it's wrong that the Italian has returned in a team-leading capacity in the paddock. 'I didn't agree when Flavio Briatore came back and I still don't agree that he's back,' Herbert said. 'But he is back and he's in the battle. He's now head of the Alpine team and running it. Advertisement 'Those decisions have been made, as I said, don't agree. I don't think it's the right thing, he's back.' Briatore, who returned to Renault-owned Alpine last summer as 'executive adviser', recently decided to drop Jack Doohan after just seven races for Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. Flavio Briatore is back as de facto team boss at Alpine (Getty Images) However, with a keen eye on new regulations in 2026 and a chance for Alpine to narrow the gap to the frontrunners, Herbert believes Briatore could target a seasoned veteran in the F1 cockpit. 'If Briatore is someone who gets Sergio Perez at Alpine and Perez does a good job and then Flavio gets on his side, he'd be in a very strong position,' Hebert said, in quotes associated with 'If it doesn't go well, you'll have exactly what's happened with Jack Doohan. Advertisement 'That is always going to be part of what Flavio does. He will always choose one. 'He's one who has always done that and that's where it can be very damaging for the driver's career, but also just mentally.' Alpine failed to score points at the last race in Monaco; F1 next heads to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.
Times
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Times
Inside story of the soap opera at F1's most turbulent team
Alpine are used to turbulent times, having had a revolving door of team principals in recent years, but arriving at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix technically without one at all is out of the ordinary, even within that context. Since the Miami Grand Prix, when Oliver Oakes left the paddock without performing media duties, the principal has departed the team, Franco Colapinto has replaced Jack Doohan in their driver line-up and the 75-year old Flavio Briatore has taken over from Oakes but does not have the licence required to officially step into the team principal role. Briatore's past is more chequered than the flag waved at the end of Formula 1 races and in Imola he begins his latest chapter 'otherwise covering the duties previously
Malay Mail
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Five races? Try as many as it takes, says Alpine boss Briatore on Colapinto
IMOLA, May 17 — Argentine Formula One rookie Franco Colapinto has no set limit on how many races he will get with Alpine this season despite talk of an initial five, according to boss Flavio Briatore. Colapinto, who made nine starts with Williams in 2024, has replaced Australian Jack Doohan after six of 24 races and is making his Alpine debut at Imola this weekend. 'It's not that a driver gets three or five races. I expected more from Jack Doohan. Maybe he needs a break,' Briatore told Sky Italia. 'Franco will race as much as needed. I read somewhere that he'll have five races, but no, there's no set limit on his races. 'He needs to be fast, not crash, and score points. I'm only asking him these three things... if he does them well, he will drive forever.' Alpine quoted Briatore in a press release last week as saying: 'We have come to the decision to put Franco in the car alongside Pierre (Gasly) for the next five races. 'The next five races will give us an opportunity to try something different and after this time period we will assess our options.' Colapinto was 17th and 13th respectively in yesterday's two practice sessions. 'I'm beginning to be in a happier place with the car after my first day. There's still a lot of work to do with the setup but I'm starting to be more comfortable,' he said. 'I am building up to it and by the end of the day I was starting to be a bit more competitive. The car is looking quite strong, especially with Pierre so I'm sure we are in the mix.' Gasly was a surprise third fastest in the second session, a boost for Alpine who are ninth of 10 teams in the standings. Briatore has taken on the duties of Oliver Oakes, who resigned suddenly as principal last week after the Miami Grand Prix. The Italian said Oakes, who is at Imola in the F2 paddock with his Hitech operation, had caught the team by surprise with his resignation on personal grounds. 'Nothing changes. The organisational chart has shifted a bit, but everything else stays the same,' said Briatore of his role. 'For now, I'm taking charge, but I'm used to that, it's not my first day at school.' — Reuters
