2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Briatore furious when he realised Alpine crisis.
“And when I arrived at Alpine, many things made me furious”, he admits. "There was neither presence of mind nor motivation.”
16 Sep 2024
GrandPrix.com

The 74-year-old Italian guided the team to world championship glory no less than four times - twice with Michael Schumacher as Benetton in the mid-90s, and again with back-to-back glory with Fernando Alonso at the wheel of the works Renault a decade later.

Flavio Briatore says he was "furious" when he realised just a few months ago just how far Formula 1's Enstone based team had fallen. “Now I'm here I will keep everyone on their toes, even if it's impossible to do worse than this. We are in the process of restructuring”, said Briatore, who was instrumental in selecting 36-year-old Oliver Oakes, known for leading the Hitech F2 team, to be the new Alpine team boss.

Briatore has denied that he was behind the decision to probably scrap Renault's F1 engine program to save costs, but he emphasised: “I have always won world championships with 30 percent less budget than the competition and I have not forgotten the magic formula.”

‘Briatore furious’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/briat...ne-crisis.html


Alpine reveal crucial F1 advantage with controversial Briatore hire
Hardly surprising that working with Flavio Briatore has been described as "intense".
14 Oct 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

New Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes has described working with Flavio Briatore as "intense" but has quickly realised why the former boss has been hired. Briatore, who was the managing director of Benetton in the 1990s and team principal of Renault from 2000 to 2009, returned to Enstone as executive advisor in June, shortly before Oakes' appointment.

As to what he feels Briatore has brought to the party over the past few years, Oakes was complimentary. "He was a winner in F1, he's successful with his businesses out of F1 so you very quickly know he's somebody who's committed, who's pushing, and I wouldn't say doesn't accept a compromise, but you've got to be on it," said Oakes, in an interview with RacingNews365.

"For me, I like that. At the end of the day, day-to-day working with him is intense, but it's good because I've got someone there who thinks the same, who challenges ideas. He brings a lot more than people realise, purely because he's got so much vested interest in Enstone, and it's great for me because you've always got someone by your side, helping you, I wouldn't say, fight battles, but just pushing things along with you, which I think is important.”

“Intense";

https://racingnews365.com/alpine-rev...-briatore-hire


‘Did not go well’: Flavio Briatore reveals what happened when he ‘tried to sign’ Adrian Newey and Carlos Sainz
19 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Alpine talks with Carlos Sainz and Adrian Newey ‘did not go well’. Briatore is known for being a businessman in the F1 paddock and is said to be one of the main instigators behind abandoning Alpine’s engine project at Viry Chatillon in favour of a switch to Mercedes power units for 2026.

Having successfully negotiated driver contracts before, including working alongside Fernando Alonso, it was slightly harder to convince both Newey and Sainz that Alpine would be a worthwhile gamble in the short term.

“We already have good and fast drivers, the problem is the car. I’m not one to buy drivers, I always like them to grow up at home. I did that with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso,” said Briatore. “I believe and hope that Doohan can give us guarantees in 2025. I tried to hire Carlos Sainz and Adrian Newey, but the negotiations did not go well.”

‘Did not go well’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fla...-carlos-sainz/


Eddie Jordan reveals Flavio Briatore ‘promise’ for Alpine success in ‘magic wand’ verdict
26 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Former F1 team principal Eddie Jordan revealed Flavio Briatore’s “promise” that Alpine will be back on the podium by the 2026 or 2027 season, having struggled in 2024 so far. “No doubt about Alpine,” Jordan told the Formula For Success podcast when asked about which teams could be in among the front-runners in the coming seasons.

“I could be having a meeting with one of my major sponsors, or my bank manager or whoever, and Flavio just burst in. That’s the way he was – but that was reciprocated, I would do the same, and that doesn’t happen now, but Flavio was a very special man in my time in Formula 1.”

“Some things I hated him for, and some things I loved him for, but you know what he will do, and he gave me his word: ‘I promise you, Eddie, by ’26 or ’27, Alpine will be on the podium.’ I’m not going to stand up and say I disagree, because I actually do agree. He has a magic wand that is able to make things happen.”

‘Flavio was a very special man’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/eddie-...uccess-promise


‘Band back together’: Ted Kravitz says Flavio Briatore has just signed a former key Bernie Ecclestone ally for Alpine
24 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Flavio Briatore recruits David Warren for Alpine. Speaking about the Alpine F1 team, Kravitz said: “Flavio Briatore is well and truly putting the band back together because David Warren, who if you’re a sort of lifer in or know about the commercial side of Formula 1 was a guy who was a key Bernie Ecclestone lieutenant. He was actually a Team GB athlete in the Moscow Olympics, friend of Frank Williams.”

“David Warren, a sort of long-time key commercial guy in F1 history is back and he’s back with Flav at Alpine. So, Flav is really getting some of the old big names back together.” Warren started life as a middle-distanced runner and as Kravitz alluded to, competed for Great Britain at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. He then went into sponsorship and worked for Camel and Canon – the latter being a principal partner of Williams – before being recruited by Benetton.

Warren went into the team as their new director of marketing and happened to be working with Briatore from 1997 onwards. Benetton were still a strong force within Formula 1 but had just lost world champion Michael Schumacher to Ferrari. It created a partnership between Briatore and Warren that the Italian is now calling upon once again. Alpine need all the help they can get both on the track and off it and if Warren can help bring in some extra cash to fund the necessary improvements to the car – and Alpine’s potential engine deal with Mercedes – then that would be very beneficial.

‘Band back together’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted...ly-for-alpine/


‘We’ll be there’: Flavio Briatore hints Alpine could axe Pierre Gasly or Jack Doohan if one driver is available for 2026
10 Oct 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Flavio Briatore says Alpine door remains open for Carlos Sainz. Briatore’s top target had been Carlos Sainz, who lost his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton. Alpine were involved in a three-team battle with Williams and Sauber/Audi. It briefly looked like Alpine were set to sign Sainz, but Williams eventually prevailed. The Spaniard may have been put off by the instability at his former team.

But if the 21-year-old impresses, then he could leave Briatore and co. with a dilemma. Gasly is a proven performer but Doohan could have a higher ceiling. “We are very happy with Gasly,” Briatore said, as quoted by Motorsport-Magazin. “And now we have a young driver [in Doohan]. If Carlos wants to in 2026, we’ll be there.”

‘Alpine door remains open for Carlos Sainz’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fla...able-for-2026/


Alpine sale and Briatore exit theory met with emphatic Renault response
8 Oct 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

The Alpine Formula 1 team is not for sale and reports claiming that former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore was brought back to facilitate a sale are “completely false”. That’s according to Renault chief executive Luca de Meo, who said the French manufacturer would be “stupid” to sell the Formula 1 team.

De Meo said reports of selling the team weren’t true in July, and they’re not true today either. “I read that he [Briatore] was supposed to repackage the project in order to sell the team in the end,” de Meo told L’Equipe. “It’s completely false. I didn’t bring him in to get out of Formula 1.”

“I see the advantages for us of being in Formula 1. Flavio is at the heart of this revitalisation of the project. We are reorganising the team and we are focusing on Enstone. Every fortnight I get calls from financiers, eccentrics, who want to enter F1. They know that after 2026 it will be much more expensive.”

‘Emphatic Renault response: ‘Non’!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine...theory-quashed

[Fortitude]

This team cannot afford another disastrous year: 'We want to win'.
It has been a year since Sauber scored a point in Formula 1. For now, it doesn't look like Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou's team will be picking up any points anytime soon, such is the gap with the teams ahead of them.
14 Oct 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Binotto didn't have to think long about whether Sauber can afford another season languishing at the back of the grid. "Certainly not. We cannot afford it," said the Italian. "This is the team that has to become in the future, the winning team. And the only way to do that is starting moving up, progressing. We need to train our muscles for the future."

Binotto went on to list some reasons why success in the short term is necessary: "That's important for ourselves. That's important for the team. It's important for the brand. It's important for our partners. We cannot not somehow accept the current position. But that's a matter of fact where we are and we can not even hide behind the finger."

‘Train our muscles for the future’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30603...ad-season.html


Binotto admits turning Audi into F1 winners will be ‘like climbing Everest’ as he sets out timeline for success
15 Oct 2024
Formula One - Official Site

“It’s not only climbing a big mountain, it’s climbing Everest,” Binotto told BBC Sport. “It will take several years. Our objective is by the end of the decade to be able to fight for the championships.” Binotto served as Ferrari’s team boss until 2019, after three years in the job, having been with the Scuderia since the mid-1990s and gradually worked his way up the ranks.

“Certainly the gap and the differences are many and the gap is big. It’s big because of dimensions, because of number of people, because of mindset, because of tools, facilities. Whatever you look around, it is really comparing a small team to a top team. When Audi bought some shares and had the programme to become the full owner in the future, internally some plans have been done, some strategic plans have been discussed and established but not yet come to execution,” he commented.

“So Sauber have been remaining in a limbo for a while. Second, certainly let’s say some of the focus and energies were put towards 2026, to try to make sure Audi was ready to start in 2026, and that took off some energy on the normal development path for 2024 and 2025.”

‘Like climbing Everest’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...Q0ctpIlq95FOW5


'Clearly state': Mattia Binotto makes Audi F1 ‘commitment’ claim amid Volkswagen conflict
14 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Mattia Binotto assures that Audi wants to win championships. Nobody expects Audi to be competitive out of the box when they produce a new engine and chassis for the 2026 regulations. This is due to Sauber’s ageing facilities and overall lack of competitiveness in the last few years, with it unlikely to score any points this season on merit.

Audi could pull the plug if they continue this form, but Binotto has claimed they are in F1 in the long haul and want to win titles. “We can clearly state there are no risks and the F1 programmes really fit with the Audi brand and vision,” said Binotto. “We are in F1 until we win and after. It is a long-term commitment.”

“We have joined F1 to be here and stay here. We intend to become a winning team and set the benchmark and stay then. It is not a joining and leaving. F1 is the pinnacle of the motorsport, it is great Audi is part of it finally and they are simply committed to stay.”

‘Audi F1 ‘commitment’ claim’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mat...agen-conflict/


Mick Schumacher still in contention for 2025 Sauber seat
Oct 12, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Sauber are the only team without a confirmed driver line-up for next season. Since announcing Nico Hulkenberg’s contract in April, the Hinwil-based squad have assessed many drivers that could drive alongside him 2025. According to Mattia Binotto (Chief Technical Officer) discussions have taken place with Mick Schumacher about a potential deal.

In a recent interview, Mattia Binotto told Corriere that Mick Schumacher is also being looked at: “[Is Mick Schumacher] an option? Definitely, we are evaluating it. I met him and spoke with him. I have known him for a long time, having been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy – I know his strengths and weaknesses. He is one of the names we have in mind.”

‘Still in contention’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...5-sauber-seat/


Binotto confirms Schumacher option for Audi F1 seat
Mick Schumacher has been absent from the F1 grid since the end of the 2022 campaign - however Mattia Binotto has suggested he could make a return next year.
13 Oct 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Audi chief operating officer and chief technical officer Mattia Binotto has confirmed Mick Schumacher is still an option for the team. With the eight other teams teams already making their decisions, Binotto asserted it is in no rush to decide on its second driver.

“We have the luxury of not being in a hurry, as all the other teams have decided on their line-up,” he said. “There are two essential aspects: on the one hand, experience to set the course for growth. On the other, a young, talented player to accompany us on the path to the top.”

‘Schumacher option’;

https://racingnews365.com/binotto-co...r-audi-f1-seat


Mick Schumacher could be handed F1 lifeline: ‘We are evaluating him’
Schumacher has been on the sidelines for two years but still has hope of securing a seat next year
15 Oct 2024
Kieran Jackson
The Independent

Mick Schumacher is being “evaluated” for the second seat at Sauber next year and is on Mattia Binotto’s shortlist.

Binotto, who knows Schumacher well from his time at Ferrari, revealed to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport that Schumacher is on his shortlist to be Nico Hulkenberg’s team-mate next year.

‘Shortlist’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/mic...-b2629460.html


Zhou Guanyu wants to keep the door to F1 open
With doubts surrounding whether he will still have a place for 2025, Zhou Guanyu wants to keep his options open.
October 12, 2024
Fleur Rogerson
FormulaNerds

2024 has not been the season Zhou Guanyu expected. Joining F1 with Alfa Romeo soon to be Stake F1 in 2022, there were high hopes surrounding the Chinese driver. However, the last three years have not been easy. Stake F1 has struggled and left Zhou without many options for his future in F1.

Zhou Guanyu told media: “Yeah, it’s really difficult because I feel like at the beginning year, the car was performing reasonably quite good in that midfield battle,” claimed Zhou. “Obviously, we had this issue during the [pit]stops, which affects massively the timings. I think otherwise, it would – at least two times we could score. I think Valtteri would score in Australia. I would probably score in Jeddah and vice versa. So, things like that can easily bring us some points, which then on the table, it won’t look as bad as where we have been struggling now. But in fact, it just seems in the wrong time that it happens that we are losing one performance on the others.”

Although F1 might not be a possibility for the Chinese driver for 2025 he has admitted he’s open to heading to another series, even admitting to receiving offers from some. He said, “At the moment, all I can say is that there are already several very good, let’s say, chances teams in other series for a drive for next year” However, He doesn’t want to give up on the Sauber seat, with that remaining his priority. Zhou also admitted even if he leaves he wants to keep the door open for F1. He said, “But at the moment, of course, I want to still get the Sauber seat. And if by any chance I don’t have that, we have to think about the rest.”

‘Wants to keep the door to F1 open’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/zh.../?nowprocket=1