Ted Kravitz says Flavio Briatore has just signed a former key Bernie Ecclestone ally for Alpine

Follow us on Google Discover

The Singapore Grand Prix was another disappointing weekend for the Alpine F1 team as they never looked in contention to add to their lowly points tally.

After Williams had a brilliant race in Baku the previous weekend, Alpine fell to ninth in the Constructors’ Championship, only sitting above Sauber who are yet to score a point.

Pierre Gasly received an apology for how poor his car was and Esteban Ocon is nowhere to be seen during the Singapore Grand Prix.

Alpine are in a very difficult position with Renault considering ending their F1 engine project which would make the French outfit a works team going forward.

Renault CEO Luca de Meo has made key changes to the hierarchy of the team, including bringing Oliver Oakes as the team’s new principal.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Flavio Briatore has also been recruited as an executive advisor and speaking on Ted’s Notebook, pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz explained a key signing has been made by the Italian for Alpine.

Alpine will already have at least one eye on next season and beyond with very little to pay for in the final six race weekends.

However, Briatore is concentrating on matters off the track as well and his new ally in the Alpine garage has plenty of experience in that regard.

Flavio Briatore recruits David Warren for Alpine

Speaking about the Alpine F1 team, Kravitz said: “Flavio Briatore is well and truly putting the band back together because David Warren, who if you’re a sort of lifer in or know about the commercial side of Formula 1 was a guy who was a key Bernie Ecclestone lieutenant.

“He was actually a Team GB athlete in the Moscow Olympics, friend of Frank Williams.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Alpine’s F1 executive adviser Flavio Briatore

“David Warren, a sort of long-time key commercial guy in F1 history is back and he’s back with Flav at Alpine.

“So, Flav is really getting some of the old big names back together.”

Who is former Bernie Ecclestone ally David Warren ahead of joining Alpine

Warren started life as a middle-distanced runner and as Kravitz alluded to, competed for Great Britain at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.

He then went into sponsorship and worked for Camel and Canon – the latter being a principal partner of Williams – before being recruited by Benetton.

Warren went into the team as their new director of marketing and happened to be working with Briatore from 1997 onwards.

Benetton were still a strong force within Formula 1 but had just lost world champion Michael Schumacher to Ferrari.

It created a partnership between Briatore and Warren that the Italian is now calling upon once again.

Warren also worked closely with Bernie Ecclestone during his time in Formula 1.

At one point, Warren was ecstatic, via Marketing Week, that Ecclestone and the FIA had managed to lobby the government to delay a ban on smoking sponsorships when Mild Seven was Benetton’s named partner at the time.

Alpine need all the help they can get both on the track and off it and if Warren can help bring in some extra cash to fund the necessary improvements to the car – and Alpine’s potential engine deal with Mercedes – then that would be very beneficial.