Briatore reveals: 'For that reason I never spoke seriously with Newey'

Since Adrian Newey announced his departure from Red Bull Racing, the top designer has been one of the most sought-after individuals in the Formula 1 paddock. In the end, his choice fell on Aston Martin, but it has not been for a lack of interest from other teams. Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore explains why Newey did not end up with his team.

After Adrian Newey decided to leave Red Bull, he was linked to almost every Formula 1 team, including Alpine. So why didn't he pick them? “You have to ask him" Briatore begins in conversation with Auto, Motor and Sport. "Adrian is an artist. We are not yet ready for someone like him. To benefit from him, you have to have the right team around him. Maybe in two or three years we will be ready for him. That's why I never spoke to him seriously."

Cost was another factor for why Newey did not go to Alpine. “In theory the budget cap sounds very good. The reality is different. If you want to do it right, the driver has to be included in the budget. And expensive engineers too. Adrian Newey is as expensive as a driver. That's a big expense factor.”

Briatore continued “So the rich teams will always have an advantage because they can afford the expensive drivers or engineers and don't have to suffer in other areas. If the driver were included, it would be a fair system. Then you can decide: would I rather spend my money on the driver or the car?”

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