Flavio Briatore rejoins F1 with Alpine

Flavio Briatore is back in Formula 1 after joining Alpine.

He has been confirmed as the new executive advisor for the F1 team.

A statement ahead of this weekend's F1 Spanish Grand Prix confirmed: "BWT Alpine F1 Team can confirm that Flavio Briatore has been appointed by Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo as his Executive Advisor for the Formula One Division."

The ex-Renault boss was dismissed from F1 14 years ago for his part in the Crashgate controversy.

Briatore was initially banned for life by the FIA after the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

Nelson Piquet Jr's deliberate crash allowed teammate Fernando Alonso to win in Singapore. The knock-on effect was to enable Lewis Hamilton to win his first F1 title, which then-rival Felipe Massa now questions.

Briatore overturned his lifetime ban from F1 in 2010.

He previously oversaw F1 titles for Michael Schumacher at Benetton and Alonso at Renault.

Briatore remains a part of Alonso's personal management.

His arrival to Alpine comes at a time when the team is struggling on-track.

Significantly, ahead of the new F1 regulations in 2026, Briatore must help Alpine decide which direction to head in.

Finalising which engine to use - as a manufacturer or a customer - is crucial.