Flavio Briatore says "top 6 driver" Pierre Gasly and "improving" Franco Colapinto set for Gucci Racing

Alpine executive advisor, Briatore, insisted the team's priority remains improving the car rather than changing its driver lineup, with Gasly firmly established as the squad's leader and Colapinto growing in confidence after a difficult start.

Appearing on the Beyond the Grid podcast, he was asked why extending Gasly's contract was important, Briatore replied: "I believe Pierre is one of the top six drivers. First we need to fix the car. The issue for me at this moment is the performance of the car. Once you have the performance of the car, then you look for the driver. But I'm happy with Pierre. He is a very underrated driver. In the leading group, he is one of the top six."

Briatore also believes Gasly has developed into the team leader Alpine wanted. "Yes, 100%. Little by little he's becoming a leader. He's very well integrated with the team and working very hard in the simulator, maybe too much. Pierre is a very nice guy from a very nice family. 

"The team is very transparent with him, and he is very transparent with us. Only this way can you work together. A lot of teams try to keep secrets. With me there are no secrets anymore. Everybody is transparent, and you know what's happening. Only like this can you improve the team."

Briatore said Colapinto's development has exceeded expectations as the young Argentine continues to settle into Formula 1: "We don't know yet. Nobody believed last year in the performance of Antonelli in 2026, and Franco is integrating much better in the team. He's improving a lot mentally, technically, and in his relationship with the team.

"It's the same we did with Renault when I took Fernando. I sent Fernando to Minardi for one year to understand, and then I chose him to replace the world champion. All the British press went crazy: 'Fire the world champion for this Spanish guy.' I always say only the future will tell if I was right or not. I was right."

He added that Alpine's work behind the scenes has helped Colapinto settle: "We're working very hard with him. He's moved to Monaco. I see him a lot, and we talk a lot. This young driver arrives in Formula 1 with a lot of pressure.

"To settle mentally is not easy and we need to help. We've done a lot of work with Franco. Little by little the confidence is coming. He has talent, 100%. Like Antonelli showed his talent this year. Franco hasn't shown his talent completely yet, but he will."

Briatore also defended his direct management style when asked about telling Colapinto: "You are the problem" during an episode of Netflix's Drive to Survive on the 2025 season.

The 76-year-old Italian replied: "You know, there's always this feeling that the driver is untouchable and the mechanic is working day and night. The last night our mechanic finished at 2 a.m. The driver is the managing director of the company. The driver brings the result to the team. You need to tell him the truth.

"I don't go behind his back to the press. I go in front of him and say: 'This is you. You are the problem.' Now the problem is not a problem anymore because Franco is performing well. Between you and Pierre you have a thousand people working for you, and you need to respect the 6,000 people working for the team."

According to Briatore, the biggest change has been Colapinto trusting his own instincts: "The confidence is there. Before, in the briefing he was always looking at what we were doing. I told him: 'It's wrong. You need to drive the car in your way. You don't need to drive thinking about the telemetry. You have talent. Drive the car like you enjoy driving the car. This is the job you like, enjoy the job.'"

Briatore also admitted he was surprised by the scale of Colapinto's popularity in Argentina: "I was already seeing it in the beginning. He did a defensive masterclass in China. I never believed it, half a million people standing there and seeing nothing because everybody was behind everybody.

"And the strange thing is Franco never wanted anything. I still don't understand half a million or 600,000 people standing there for Franco," recalled Briatore.

Briatore suggested Alpine is leaning towards keeping its current pairing together: "If Franco is performing like he's performing now and the relationship between Franco and Pierre stays like it is now, the same we had with Alonso and Fisichella, a truly super relationship, why not?

"I prefer to have Franco. I know him very well now. We are in the moment to build up the team technically and build consistency. We have plenty of races to go. Before the summer break we will decide."

Asked whether Alpine ultimately needs a driver of Max Verstappen's calibre to win championships, Briatore replied: "First, I need the wallet. I don't have this kind of money. Max is a super driver, the Schumacher of this moment, number one.

"But if you have a competitive car you see the difference. Look at Mercedes now. They have a super car and deliver incredible results. Six months ago everybody would take Max over Antonelli. Now Toto has drama because he never expected Antonelli to be so quick.

"It reminds me of McLaren in 2007 with Fernando and Hamilton. Ron Dennis underestimated Hamilton completely. After one race Ron started to understand how quick he was. Now the same situation has happened to Toto," added Briatore.

Next year 'Alpine F1 Team' name will cease to exist as a new era dawns for the French team, to be rebranded Gucci Racing in 2027.

In 1985 the Enstone-based Toleman team became Benetton until 2001. Thereafter it was the Renault works team until 2010, before a spell trying to revive the Lotus brand until 2015. It returned to Renault colours until 2020. Then the Alpine spell followed until next year, when Gucci Racing is born.