What Michael Schumacher once said about Flavio Briatore will worry Alpine’s drivers after team principal announcement

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Amid all of the chaos at Alpine this week relating to their driver line-up, the announcement that Oliver Oakes resigned from his role as team principal shouldn’t be forgotten.

Oakes released a statement on Wednesday citing personal reasons for leaving Alpine after less than a year in charge.

After announcing Oakes’ departure, it was confirmed by the team that Flavio Briatore would be taking over team principal duties.

Briatore is a popular but controversial figure in the paddock, helping the likes of Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher win drivers’ championships with Renault and Benetton respectively, but also previously receiving a ban for his involvement in the Crashgate scandal.

Briatore lost Schumacher to Ferrari after they won two titles together, having signed him from Jordan immediately after his F1 debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix.

While they enjoyed plenty of highs together, they didn’t see eye to eye on one issue that should come as a warning to Pierre Gasly and the newly promoted Franco Colapinto.

READ MORE: Who is Alpine’s F1 executive adviser Flavio Briatore? Everything to know

Michael Schumacher said Flavio Briatore uses F1 drivers ‘weakness’ against them

Schumacher tried to organise a ‘no overtaking’ pact at the first two chicanes during the 2001 Italian Grand Prix on his way to another F1 championship.

However, Briatore was vehemently was against the idea, threatening to sack Jenson Button and Giancarlo Fisichella if they obeyed.

Speaking at the press conference, via Autosport, at the following race in the United States, Schumacher explained, “I mean, first of all, I think we should say despite the way things have ended, this kind of discussion has made drivers aware of that particular situation and probably except one, everybody behaved very good.

“This is obviously a very good and positive situation which for sure came through the discussion.

“We had to make the drivers aware of the situation and just be a little bit more careful.

“I said at various times already that I don’t agree with what Flavio has done to his drivers or some other team principles to basically tell the drivers what to do.

“The drivers are there to drive, they know how to do this job. I guess Flavio has never sat in any racing car so far.

“He doesn’t know what it feels like; and, therefore, it’s a little bit inappropriate to tell the drivers what to do.

“But that’s his decision and not my decision. But what is obviously not so good is that you use the weakness of some drivers and simply tell them what to do and you know they can’t do anything against that.”

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about F1 legend Michael Schumacher from net worth to career stats

What Flavio Briatore has said about Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto this season

Briatore is a notoriously hard taskmaster and although Button may have obeyed him during that 2001 season, he was dropped for Alonso by the time the 2003 campaign started.

Throughout his short time on the grid, Briatore was strict with Jack Doohan, failing to ever commit to the Australian’s long-term future.

However, he’s been much more positive about Alpine’s current two drivers this year.

Briatore admitted Gasly surprised him on his arrival within the team, not realising quite how fast he is and enjoying the fact that he didn’t cost the team any money in crash damage last season.

Colapinto has been talked up by Briatore in the past, but only has five races now to prove his worth to Alpine before they consider whether to extend his stint in the car.