Flavio Briatore won’t lead Alpine F1—FIA rules him ineligible amid ongoing team shake-up following Oliver Oakes’ sudden resignation.
Just as rumors were heating up about Flavio Briatore stepping in as interim team principal following Oliver Oakes’ resignation, the FIA has stepped in, and shut it down.
The governing body has made it clear: Briatore is not recognized as the official team principal. In fact, he’s not even considered an employee or licensed personnel under FIA regulations.
While Briatore will be present at this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix representing Alpine F1, the FIA says he can’t hold any formal team role.
That’s because Briatore is technically a consultant for Renault, Alpine’s parent company, and not registered as part of the F1 team itself. Crucially, he doesn’t hold an FIA F1 license, which is required for any individual acting in an official team position.
In response, Alpine has formally named sporting director Dave Greenwood as the “designated team representative.” He’ll handle all the official duties: attending team briefings, making decisions during races, and communicating with the FIA.
When asked why Briatore wasn’t registered or licensed, an Alpine spokesperson replied:
“Flavio joined as an executive advisor and remains a consultant. There’s nothing more to say or interpret.”
The FIA confirmed that Alpine had complied with all required protocols after Oakes’ departure and had submitted updated staff records.
“It’s up to Alpine to update its leadership structure. We will not comment on any individual’s registration,” said an FIA spokesperson.
Every F1 team must officially register six key staff members with the FIA, including a team principal, sporting director, technical director, team manager, and two race engineers. This process is part of a system designed to protect the integrity of the F1 World Championship.
The FIA also reserves the right to reject staff registrations if someone has faced disciplinary action or violated its code of conduct. Among the listed offenses: instructing a driver or team member to intentionally cause an accident or influence the outcome of a race.
And of course, F1 fans haven’t forgotten what happened in Singapore 2008, when Briatore was involved in a race-fixing scandal that led to a lifetime ban (later overturned in court).
While Briatore will still act as a behind-the-scenes power at Alpine, it remains unclear whether the team plans to officially register him. Only the FIA knows for sure whether his past actions are still a roadblock.
For now, the message is clear: Flavio Briatore may be calling the shots, but not on paper.
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