Flavio Briatore questions the standard of 2025 F1 drivers after working with Michael Schumacher

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Flavio Briatore has worked with some of the greatest drivers in Formula 1 history. And when he looks at the current grid, he feels rather underwhelmed.

Briatore began his F1 career at Benetton, where he helped Michael Schumacher win two world championships. He later returned to the team when they were known as Renault.

Having previously poached Schumacher from Jordan, he made sure to pick up Fernando Alonso before he reached F1. Briatore loaned him to Minardi and then placed him at Renault for 2003 at the expense of Jenson Button.

Like Schumacher, Alonso won two world titles in partnership with Briatore. He remains the Spaniard’s manager even as he runs Aston Martin’s rivals, Alpine.

Max Verstappen is the only F1 driver who makes Flavio Briatore say ‘boom’

Briatore is currently deciding who should partner Pierre Gasly at Alpine in 2026. Having tied Gasly down to a new contract, he’s indicated to The Race that he will choose between the incumbent Franco Colapinto and reserve driver Paul Aron for the second seat.

The Italian briefly considered whether to dip into the external market, but none of the options excite him. Yuki Tsunoda has been linked with Alpine amid an uncertain future in the Red Bull programme, as has Liam Lawson, but Briatore seems to have ruled out a move for either.

Briatore recalled that Schumacher won races for Sauber in sportscars as a junior, while Hamilton romped to the GP2 title and Alonso stunned Minardi during his first test.

Aside from Max Verstappen, he says none of today’s drivers inspire the same feeling. Hamilton and Alonso are both approaching the end of their Formula 1 careers.

• READ MORE: Fernando Alonso shares whether he’ll retire from Formula 1 if 2026 ‘goes badly’ for Aston Martin

“I don’t see any other possibility [outside Alpine]. We see other ones, but we don’t feel it, because the good guys go ‘boom’,” Briatore said.

“I remember when Schumi was in Group C with Sauber, he won every race. GP2 was the same. Hamilton was bam, bam, bam, bam. Fernando was driving Formula 3000 or whatever, and he was winning every race.

“I remember testing Fernando. I put Fernando in Minardi and Giancarlo called me and said: ‘I have never seen stuff like that’.

“Now, take away Max. The rest [shrugs]?”

Flavio Briatore says there’s no Lewis Hamilton among current F2 drivers

Statistically, Hamilton produced the best GP2 season ever in 2006. He scored a podium in 14 out of 21 races, winning five.

For reference, this year’s Formula 2 leader, Leonardo Fornaroli, has won four of the first 17 races and bagged eight podiums.

Briatore feels that drivers in the feeder series today are too inconsistent compared to the likes of Hamilton or 2005 champion Nico Rosberg.

He said: “Did you see the races in F2 and F3? You see one guy is winning a race. The next race he is 14th. You see the next race, he is P3, and after one week he is P12 again.

“In our time, GP2, whatever, Hamilton, was there and he finished first, second, second, third, second, third, first, third. It was a very clear indication, no?

“Rosberg, bang, bang, bang, GP2. You remember many people from GP2. Now, it’s very difficult because you see somebody P1. And after one week, he’s no more P1. He is no more P2 – he is P14. Very confusing.”