P1racenews AI automatic summary:
“He’s now head of the Alpine team and running it. And those decisions have been made, as I said, don’t agree. I don’t think it’s the right thing, he’s back.
Johnny Herbert disagrees with Flavio Briatore’s return to F1 as Alpine’s executive advisor, with Briatore effectively running the team. Following Oliver Oakes’ departure after the Miami Grand Prix, Alpine lacks an official team principal. Briatore has played a significant role in key Alpine decisions over the past year, advocating for the team to switch to being a Mercedes customer team and pushing for driver changes like signing Franco Colapinto. Briatore’s comeback has faced widespread criticism, stemming from his previous ban from F1 due to race fixing at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Herbert raised concerns about Briatore’s influence on driver careers and the potential damage his decisions could cause mentally. Despite the controversy, Briatore’s return to F1 with Alpine marks a significant shift in the team’s leadership and decision-making process.
