Davide Brivio: Successful MotoGP manager set to be heading to Alpine F1

Renault is reportedly going to make changes in management and a key pawn in those changes is Davide Brivio. Known in MotoGP as the success manager, but unknown to many Formula 1 followers. Why should Alpine F1 fans cheer when this move is made official?

Changes at Alpine F1

Renault has not been able to continue the upward trend in recent years under Cyril Abiteboul. That last step to the top cannot be made and in recent years the team has even been passed by customer McLaren and Racing Point. Under a new name (Alpine F1 Team), Renault also seems to find time for management changes.

Jerome Stoll was the first to leave, as Renault's CEO. However, he did so on his own accord and will be replaced by Marcin Budkowski. He is also mentioned as the possible new team boss, but Alpine also gets a success manager from MotoGP. For that search, we start in Brianza.

Love for motorcycles

Born in the region of Lombardy, Davide Brivio grew up with a great love for motorcycles. He graduated with a degree in computer science, but in 1992 he got the chance to work for Yamaha as a team manager in the WSBK (Superbike World Championship). In 1993 this even resulted in a promotion to the Yamaha headquarters in Italy, where he was active as a team manager until 2000 and in 2001 as a consultant.

The role he fulfils as team principal goes unnoticed in Yamaha's leadership. When the Official MotoGP Championship is launched, the Malboro Yamaha Team is looking for a suitable team manager. That ideal man seems to be the advisor of the Superbike team, which is very close to the world title in 2000 with Noriyuki Haga.

The deal with Valentino Rossi

In his first two years for Yamaha, there are two victories to celebrate, but Brivio records his biggest victory in bringing in Rossi. The Italian is a protégé of Honda and has already won three world titles with that team, but with his determination, Brivio, in a way reminiscent of Niki Lauda who convinced Lewis Hamilton to come to Mercedes, manages to take the legendary driver to Yamaha.

That turns out to be a dream move. Rossi is four times world champion at Yamaha and the team even scores five world titles in that period. In 2010 it is Jorge Lorenzo who wins the title for Yamaha. Brivio has led Yamaha to enormous success and is taking a step back. He will remain on as Rossi's advisor until 2013.

The Suzuki project

In 2013, however, a new team knocks on Brivio's door. Suzuki is making a return to MotoGP in 2014 and wants Brivio as the team's leader. As a brand, Suzuki has already won seven titles in the highest motorsport class, but never the title in MotoGP. The last title dates from 2000.

In 2014, Suzuki returns to MotoGP with a wild card for Randy de Puniet in the final race of the season in Valencia. He is out, but in 2015 Suzuki will really return. Then from the start of the season with Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro on the bikes. The first season results in a fifth place with 202 points. The riders are never on the podium.

In 2016 the team is taking an important step. Vinales wins in England and is also on the podium three times. After a disappointing 2017, there is also a lot to cheer about in 2018. Despite riders leaving, new riders Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins managed to take five podium places in 2018.

A new challenge

In 2019 Brivio opts for a remarkably young line-up with Joan Mir and Alex Rins. It produces mixed results. Rins wins two races, is also on the podium one more time, but on the other hand, there are also the six withdrawals of the duo. However, the move in 2019 appears to be essential for 2020.

In the year when the competition suddenly has a huge opportunity when Marc Marquez is injured, it is Suzuki that can take the world title for the first time. Joan Mir is the celebrated man with one win and 171 points. He beats Franco Morbidelli in the battle for the world title, and Rins completes the party with third place.

Suzuki wins the MotoGP title for the first time and the man responsible for Yamaha's great success is also in the lead of Suzuki's victory. Brivio can therefore go anywhere. Even in Formula 1.

In the statement from Suzuki, Brivio says that a challenge came his way that he could not pass up. Alongside Marcin Budkowski and Pat Fry, he might be the ideal man to revitalise Alpine F1 and send it to the top. He managed to do it in MotoGP, but will it also succeed in Formula 1?

This article was written and originally published by Tim on the Dutch edition of GPblog.com.