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Briatore does not understand Ferrari: 'I would have never got Hamilton'
Flavio Briatore finds it hard to understand Ferrari's decision to change up the Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz duo. Lewis Hamilton is a great champion, but Briatore would not have brought him to Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton is now officially a part of Ferrari's 2025 roster. After 12 seasons with Mercedes, he made the switch to the illustrious Maranello based team ahead of his upcoming 40th birthday. Alongside Charles Leclerc, Hamilton is hoping to vy his eighth world title, and hopes Ferrari will finally win another Constructors' title since 2008.
"It will be strange to see Lewis in a Ferrari," Briatore stated to Sport Bild. "Of course I respect such decisions, but I wonder if it makes sense. I don't understand why this great duo has been torn apart," the flamboyant Alpine top man stated about Leclerc and Sainz.
Hamilton to Ferrari
With Leclerc and Sainz, the way up was set at Ferrari. Led by Frederic Vasseur, the team finished second in the constructors' world championship in 2024 and came very close, just 14 points off actually, to actually winning the world title. In 2025, the team should compete for the title, but a new driver is being brought in just for that year. Incomprehensible, Briatore said. "It is not up to me to pass judgment on that, but if I was the person in charge at Ferrari, I would not have contracted Hamilton."
Briatore himself has a rich history of bringing in big names to the teams he was leading. During his time at Benneton, Briatore struck a big blow by bringing in Michael Schumacher, with whom he became world champion in 1994 and 1995. Ten years later, he did the same thing again with Fernando Alonso when the team was called Renault. In 2005 and 2006, Briatore became champion again withe the Spaniard as his lead driver.
After a long time out of Formula One, partly due to everything surrounding Crashgate, Briatore returned to Formula One in 2024 as an important figure for Alpine's Formula One team. Briatore serves as an advisor to CEO Luca de Meo and is decisive when it comes to selecting the drivers for the team.
In 2025, Alpine will race with Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan in the car, although the future of the latter driver is not 100% certain. The Australian will have to perform to retain that seat. Briatore was reportedly already holding talks with Franco Colapinto and the Italian himself made no secret of making the necessary changes if it need be. So the pressure is full on for Doohan.
This article was written in collaboration with Norberto Mujica
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