Flavio Briatore’s return to F1 has been eventful, to say the least. After the infamous ‘crashgate’ incident where he asked Nelson Piquet Jr to crash the car as Renault’s team principal, Briatore made a return as a manager for Fernando Alonso. When the appeal at the Paris court stated that his lifetime ban from F1 was invalid, he also worked as the brand ambassador for Stefano Domenicali.  Now that he is back, he is planning on helping Alpine with Carlos Sainz.

The Spaniard is yet to find a team for 2025 and since Alpine has joined the pursuit, things have gotten interesting. Flavio Briatore has joined Renault as an advisor to the CEO Luca de Meo and is on the path to helping Alpine get back to the midfield. Currently, they have signed Pierre Gasly but have an empty seat since they planned on discontinuing with Esteban Ocon. In the past, Briatore was responsible for Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher winning 2 championships each. Will he be able to repeat history with Carlos Sainz?

Flavio Briatore sets his mind on signing Carlos Sainz

According to OE24.at, Flavio Briatore said, “I was never really away,” after joining as the advisor to Luca de Meo. The team has a lot of work to do before they can fight for the championship and bringing Sainz back to the team is a part of his new plan. Now that Ferrari has decided to take Lewis Hamilton in place of Sainz, Alpine has a chance at bringing back the Spaniard.

Having Carlos Sainz driving alongside Pierre Gasly will be a good combination for Alpine as they are both experienced Grand Prix winners. In the past, Briatore has led teams to the championship and maybe he can mold Alpine to see the success that Renault carried out in the sport. A good driver lineup is crucial for any team and currently, Sainz is one of the best available drivers on the grid.

With Flavio Briatore’s experience, he can bring Carlos Sainz to compete for the championship just like he did with Fernando Alonso. That being said, the first step will be to sign the driver as there is still an empty seat that he has not been offered yet. It won’t be long before Mercedes will need to lock in a driver, and if they cannot bag Max Verstappen, Sainz might just be their best second option.

Why has Mercedes not gotten in touch with Carlos Sainz yet?

As of now, Toto Wolff has his hopes pinned on bringing in Max Verstappen to the team. After Lewis Hamilton’s departure, Wolff wants to have a driver that can bring them back to the front. Right now, the situation at Red Bull is shaky as the power struggle within the team continues. This has led Jos Verstappen to voice his dissatisfaction with the management.

After seeing Max Verstappen talk to Mercedes executives over the season, many have a feeling that the defending champion might just make the switch. There is a strong possibility that Wolff is waiting for Verstappen to make his decision before signing a driver.

As of now, Kimi Antonelli is the only other driver linked with Mercedes besides the Red Bull champion. Bringing in Carlos Sainz could allow the team time to give Antonelli time to be prepared to fight for the championship. Right now, there is no news from Mercedes or Sainz about the Silver Arrow’s offer so only time will tell if they are interested.

That being said, do you think Alpine will be the team that Carlos Sainz heads for 2025? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.