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Alpine boss Flavio Briatore has asserted that there is ‘no point’ in him signing a ‘top driver’ for Alpine in 2027 if they don’t have the calibre of car to go with it.
The French constructor has enjoyed a resurgence up the F1 pecking order this year, aided by Alpine’s new-for-2026 engine partnership with the current championship leaders, Mercedes.
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In turn, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto have been able to flex their skillset more this term, with both drivers now contenders for a respectable points haul at every passing race weekend.
In particular, Colapinto has reaped the benefits of being at the wheel of more competitive machinery. The young Argentine’s seat was in jeopardy for the majority of his first full rookie season last year, but a stark uptick in results has seemingly hushed any chance of an exit.
Flavio Briatore says Alpine will invest in a ‘big name’ once they have a title-worthy F1 car
In an interview with Sky Italia ahead of this weekend’s Barcelona Grand Prix, Alpine team principal Flavio Briatore gave a very candid response to a question regarding the Enstone-based outfit’s involvement in the 2027 F1 driver market.
The Italian executive was specifically asked whether he has any plans of bringing a world champion into the fold at the team, in order to elevate Alpine to the next level.
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“That’s not my priority right now,” he responded, before adding, “If a driver gives me an extra two or three tenths, that’s certainly important, but there’s no driver who, on their own, can make you gain a second per lap.”
Instead, Briatore outlined his main priority for the French constructor in the foreseeable future, continuing with, “The priority is to improve the car technically. We need to take it step by step.
“You can’t just take a world champion and put them in a car that isn’t capable of fighting for the win. There’s no point in signing a top driver just to finish fifth. Now we need to consolidate what we’ve achieved.”
However, he certainly is keen on bringing in a title-winner once they have the right machinery for them, adding, “The season isn’t over. We need to try and close the gap on the top four teams. Right now, our aim is to reduce the deficit.
“When we have a car that’s one or two tenths off the pace of the best, then the driver can really make a difference. At that point, investing in a big name becomes important because those three or four tenths that the driver can deliver really count.
“Today, however, it is still too early to talk about it. Perhaps by August, we will be in a different situation. I have followed a precise programme, and so far we have met the planned milestones.
“The next step is to have a car that is technically much closer to the benchmarks we want to achieve.”
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