Alpine boss dismisses Crashgate concerns following Flavio Briatore return

Flavio Briatore’s return to Enstone was confirmed on Friday.

Alpine boss Bruno Famin said he was “looking ahead not backwards” when questions of the appropriateness of reappointing Flavio Briatore to the team were raised.

Briatore’s return to Enstone was confirmed on Friday but comes against a backdrop of his role in 2008’s Crashgate which initially saw him banned from the sport for life, but was overturned by the courts.

Alpine boss goes on the defensive following Flavio Briatore hire

In an attempt to return the team back to where the higher-ups feel it belongs, Renault CEO Luca de Meo appointed Briatore in an executive advisor role, his first position within F1 since his sacking from the team in 2009.

The ethics behind appointing Briatore, who was banned by the FIA for life only for a French court to overturn it, was put to Famin but the Alpine team principal said he was unconcerned about past events.

“I don’t really mind about the past, I’m always looking about the future, in trying what we can to get our team better,” Famin told media including PlanetF1.com.

“That’s really our goal and what I see with having Flavio as an advisor of the team is the opportunity to have his experience to help us. He has a very high level knowledge of Formula 1, he knows a lot of people. I’m sure he will support us in developing the team faster and better.”

Famin was then further probed about his seeming dismissal of the Crashgate affair and said “I’m looking ahead, not backwards.”

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Earlier in the press conference, Famin had suggested Briatore was being brought back to advise all areas of the team and hoped the 74-year-old would use his 40 years of experience in the sport to improve the ailing French outfit.

“He’s going to bring his experience, his 40 years experience in Formula 1,” Famin said. “He knows how to operate a winning team. He has a very good record, quite a number of world titles and he would bring this experience, this fighting spirit to the team.

“[He is there] to advise the team. We will work together of course and he will be the adviser to the group CEO [De Meo] but he will advise the team and we are going to work and to talk permanently together for sure.”

Famin was pressed further on the subject but refused to elaborate anymore, despite specific questions being raised about the ethics behind appointing someone who had been banned even if that punishment was overturned by a third party.

“I think there is a very clear goal to improve the competitiveness of the team as soon as possible and as fast as possible,” Famin countered. “We’re looking for strong support. We’re very happy to have David Sanchez [who joined from McLaren in May] as technical director.

“It was a very good opportunity. We’ve been able to seize it very quickly and that is the same thing for Flavio.

“I think the target is to make the team better as soon as possible. With the knowledge, the network, the influence of Flavio with us. It’s an asset and we are using all available assets and we will still look for new assets to make the team stronger.”

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