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Nobody cares about the engine in the back of the car, insists Flavio Briatore as Alpine prepares to switch to Mercedes power units.
The season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marked the 228th event since the introduction of the hybrid formula in 2014. In that time Mercedes has won 124 races (54.4%), Honda/RBPT 64 (28.1%), Ferrari 23 (10.1%) and Renault 17 (7.5%).
Despite being one of the main driving forces behind the introduction of the hybrid formula, the French manufacturer, over the years a true innovator in things motorsport, has failed miserably. So much so that from 2026, what is essentially its own works team, will use engines supplied by a rival manufacturer.
Flavio Briatore, who oversaw title success with Benetton and Renault was brought back into the fold by Renault Groupe CEO Luca de Meo, charged with bringing success back to the team, and one of his first moves was the shock announcement to drop the French manufacturer’s own engines.
“The French want to win,” he tells Auto Motor und Sport. “We don’t win with our engine. It’s as simple as that.
“If we want to win, we have to give up the areas in which we are not competitive,” he adds. “That’s one less problem for us to worry about in the future. Let’s concentrate on the car.”
Despite successive titles with Renault, as soon as it became clear that the French manufacturer had made a major wrong turn in terms of the hybrid units the relationship with Red Bull soured rapidly, the Austrian outfit desperate to find an alternative supplier. However, with Mercedes out of the question it eventually formed a partnership with Honda following a trial season using Alpha Tauri.
Citing McLaren’s title success this year, Briatore believes that most fans are unconcerned at what engine a team is using.
“McLaren becomes world champion with a Mercedes engine,” he says. “How many times have you read or heard about McLaren-Mercedes becoming world champions? Never!
“Haas is Haas and not Haas-Ferrari,” he adds.
As for continued speculation over the team’s future and the possibility of it being sold, he says: “I don’t understand all this speculation. Since I joined Renault, the same questions have always been asked. When we won the world championship title in 2005 and 2006, I was asked whether Renault wanted to stay in Formula 1.
“The truth is, I always got what I needed for the job from Renault,” he continues. “They appreciate that I am careful with their money. I believe in efficiency. That’s why I’m now saving money everywhere in the areas that don’t make my car faster.
“I don’t think about what I’ll be doing in five, 10 or 20 years’ time. I decide what’s important now.”
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