Flavio Briatore makes bold Alpine title prediction: 'F1 rivals nothing special'

Flavio Briatore sees no reason why he cannot guide Alpine to F1 titles, believing the team's rivals to be "nothing special".

Briatore returned to the Enstone organisation for the third time last year after being sounded out by Renault CEO Luca di Meo.

When the team was known as Benetton, the 75-year-old Italian guided Michael Schumacher to the first two of his seven drivers' titles in 1994 and 1995. In the latter year, the team also won the constructors' championship.

A decade later, as Renault, Briatore led Fernando Alonso and the team to back-to-back drivers' and constructors' championships in 2005 and 2006.

Following the shock exit of team principal Oliver Oakes last month after the Miami Grand Prix, Briatore is in full control of the team, and he has a promise to keep to de Meo.

"I promised Luca that in two, three years, the team would be on the podium, or very close to the podium," said Briatore, in an interview with The New York Times, conducted before Oakes's exit.

Additionally, Briatore has no doubt Alpine can go on to become champions.

"Why not? Sure," he said. "If you see the teams in front of us, they're nothing special. It's only people, more committed, less distracted.

"It has not been easy at this team. Hiring people, firing people, no order, no direction, nothing. Everybody was in charge, nobody was in charge. We lost a lot of good people, but now, little by little, they are coming back to us." 

Alpine '85% complete'

Since his arrival, Briatore has overseen considerable change inside the team, in terms of staffing levels and procedures, to turn it into a more streamlined and efficient organisation.

Briatore felt the immediate cuts were vital, but is also making key appointments to strengthen particular areas. "We've changed the commercial side, the marketing side, and we've brought in two or three very important sponsors," he said.

"We've changed a lot of people on the technical side. I would say the team is now 85 per cent complete. We're still missing key people to make us stronger next year, but I know who they are."

Briatore concedes performances this season have not been what was expected, but is confident there is performance in the car.

"This year's car is good," he said. "We just need to try to take everything possible from it to help the driver."

Briatore concedes "a very hard decision" was axing Renault given the history over three decades, and switching to Mercedes for its power unit supply. However, he has no doubt that the decision was justified.

The early indications are that Mercedes is set to deliver the strongest PU on the grid next year, further fuelling his belief Alpine can push for titles.

"If you want to compete at the highest level, whatever your business, you need to be at the same pace as everybody else," he said.

"For the team to compete for victories, for the possibility of becoming world champions, this was a decision we absolutely needed to take."