Alpine team boss clarifies Flavio Briatore role: 'Cuts through the bollocks'

As well as overseeing the day-to-day operations of a team to ensure on-track success, the role of an F1 team principal unavoidably extends into politics.

Oliver Oakes took on the fresh responsibilities when he signed up as Alpine's team boss in August, 2024 amid a difficult period for the French manufacturer.

Although his involvement is still fresh, Oakes has been thrown into the thick of discussions regarding F1's future amid question marks over the regulation change that is scheduled for 2026.

F1 teams recently took part in talks over a potential return to V10 engines in the future - a major discussion early on in Oakes' F1 career.

The proposition to return to combustion engines while sidelining the 2026 regulations was brushed aside, but Oakes highlighted it is a feasible area to explore going forward.

“It’s a topic and a discussion worth having,” Oakes exclusively told RacingNews365. 

“When you look at an F1 car today, how big it is, how heavy it is, how complex the electrical systems - is it really necessary? Is it what the fans want? Is it what makes good racing? How much of it really is exciting technology that transfers to road cars?

“I think it's a really good discussion to have for the next set of regulations. In some ways it's quite funny to be having that discussion when we still need to finalise some things at the moment.”

Briatore a 'father figure' to Oakes at Alpine

With F1 being a highly competitive environment, it is not uncommon for teams to chase regulation changes that will directly benefit their set-up.

As Oakes highlighted, he is quickly understanding the push can come without regard for how such a change could benefit the sport.

“It’s interesting to see the different characters that are able to force those discussions with their own interests at heart for their team, not necessarily what's really right for the sport,” Oakes said.

“That’s also the fun of F1. It's not just going racing, it's also the politics and it's also the strategic choice of making sure you fight for your team's interests.”

Fighting alongside Oakes at Alpine is Flavio Briatore, who is working as an executive advisor having once been the team principal at Team Enstone.

Explaining the benefit of having Briatore by his side, Oakes stated: “From my personal point of view, I've got Flavio here. He's here to help on that.

“I look at him as a sort of father figure here at the track, or a friend. We spend a lot of time together.

“From my side, I just appreciate having him around in the team. It's good fun first, because he's definitely got some good conversations. On the other side, he's very good at cutting through the bollocks as well.

“He keeps it quite simple. We both agree that the first thing is that we're here to go racing. He’s done it [win championships] before in F1, two times.

“That brings a certain element of confidence to the team to have someone in the team who cares about it like it's his own, which has always been my ethos as well.”