How Briatore’s engineer policy could hold Alpine back

Alpine’s rebuilding project faces a critical choice

Flavio Briatore has returned to Alpine with a clear objective: stop the team’s decline and build a more consistent operation. Since arriving in 2024, the team principal has acted decisively, replacing Jack Doohan almost immediately and bringing in Franco Colapinto. His approach is demanding and uncompromising, but one publicly stated policy could undermine Alpine’s long-term ambitions.

That philosophy is central to his argument. Briatore pointed to Aston Martin’s struggles despite its elite technical staff and said Alpine needs “a good one” rather than a technical “monster”. He also cited the development of figures such as Ross Brawn, Bob Bell, Pat Symonds and James Allison as evidence that strong technical leaders can be created within the right structure.

Why Alpine may need a different approach

The principle is understandable. Briatore says Alpine suffered from frequent management changes, a loss of personnel and a lack of consistency. His plan is to reorganise the team, improve its technical side and strengthen every area rather than rely on a single appointment.

However, Alpine is no longer operating from the same position it occupied during its stronger Benetton and Renault eras. At that time, the team was regularly competing at the front and could offer ambitious engineers a clear path towards success. After years of serious change, attracting emerging talent may be considerably more difficult when established front-running teams remain the more obvious destination.

That makes Briatore’s rejection of proven, high-profile expertise a potentially significant missed opportunity. Alpine may need a respected figure outside Briatore himself to help drive the cultural transformation he wants. The continued interest in Christian Horner reflects that desire for another forceful leader capable of imposing a winning mentality.

Briatore is right that Aston Martin demonstrates reputation alone cannot guarantee results. But one struggling project should not become the rule. The user’s broader Alpine outlook is also explored in Alpine’s 2026 half-season report.

For Alpine, the smartest position may be flexibility. Building talent internally can work, but refusing a proven technical leader outright could leave the team without the immediate catalyst it needs.