Flavio Briatore’s Alpine F1 “promise” revealed | “He has a magic wand”

Legendary F1 team owner Eddie Jordan has revealed that Flavio Briatore has promised him that Alpine "will be on the podium" by 2027.

In June, Briatore's return to Enstone was announced, as he became their executive advisor.

Briatore has a rich history in F1, guiding the team to title success when it was known as Benetton in the 1990s and Renault in the 2000s.

The Italian hasn’t held a significant role in F1 since he was forced to step down as Renault boss in 2009.

Briatore’s break from the sport was due to his involvement in the Crashgate scandal, which saw Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. crash on purpose at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

Speaking on the Formula for Success podcast, Jordan explained why he thinks Alpine is a team to watch in the coming years.

“No doubt about Alpine,” Jordan said. “I could be having a meeting with one of my major sponsors, or my bank manager, or whoever, and Flavio would just burst in.

“That’s the way he was – but that was reciprocated, I would do the same. That doesn’t happen now, but Flavio was a very special man in my time in Formula 1.

“Some things I hated him for, and some things I loved him for, but you know what he will do, and he gave me his word: ‘I promise you, Eddie, by ’26 or ’27, Alpine will be on the podium.’

“I’m not going to stand up and say I disagree, because I actually do agree. He has a magic wand that is able to make things happen.”

Alpine have endured a difficult 2024 campaign, scoring just 13 points in 18 races.

It leaves them ninth in the F1 constructors’ championship – only ahead of Sauber.

Due to their lack of performance, particularly on the engine side, Alpine have abandoned their works engine project for 2026 – a decision that didn’t go down well with the Viry side of the organisation.

Jordan says Briatore is focused on improving the performance of the car rather than signing a superstar driver.

“Flavio wants to build the best car possible, we’ve already said this, and then the best driver will naturally be attracted to that car – and that’s his way. That’s his philosophy,” he added.

“Other people go the other way around. Get the best driver, let’s see how we can make it work, like that’s Ferrari’s point – get Lewis Hamilton.”