F1 chief bemoans DOUBLE driver loss in major team blow

A Formula 1 team advisor has blasted his own outfit in a stark admission over their driver lineup loss.

As the 2024 season concludes, every team on the grid bar one has confirmed their driver lineup for next year, although as ever, rumours are strife surrounding potential team switches and early contract exits across the paddock.

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Red Bull junior team Visa Cash App RB are the only constructor yet to confirm their official lineup, largely in part due to the uncertainty surrounding Sergio Perez's future at the main team alongside Max Verstappen.

Despite being contracted with Christian Horner's outfit until 2026, Perez's poor form throughout 2024 and a DNF at the season finale last weekend has led Red Bull to declare that they are reevaluating his future with the team, with an update on his F1 seat expected imminently.

As a result, junior team RB have not confirmed that Liam Lawson will stay on as Yuki Tsunoda's team-mate for 2025, with the young Kiwi star tipped to replace Perez should Red Bull axe him ahead of next year.

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Flavio Briatore delivers brutal Alpine admission

One figure who certainly doesn't appear to be leaving the sport anytime soon is Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore, who made a controversial return to F1 in 2024 after being previously banned following the 'Crashgate' scandal.

In an exclusive interview with Auto Motor und Sport Briatore has revealed his hesitation at returning to the paddock after difficult dealings with Alpine in his role as Fernando Alonso's manager.

"I wasn't sure because so much has changed in Formula 1. We talked about the last few years at Alpine in a very non-committal way." Briatore explained.

"It took a lot of inability to lose two drivers like Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri in one summer," Briatore admitted, referring to a now infamous mishandling of driver announcements, where Alpine confirmed Piastri for their 2023 lineup, just for him to take to social media and deny the entire affair before signing with McLaren.

"Fernando wanted to stay because the season before wasn't that bad. We wanted to sign the contract in Canada. Then Laurent Rossi suddenly disappeared. We could no longer reach him.

"That was the moment when I started talking to Lawrence Stroll from Aston Martin. We even had an offer from Williams. I said to them: get your business in order first. In the end, we signed with Aston Martin because we couldn't get a green light with Alpine's management.

"The faults lay with the management. So I said to Luca [de Meo, Renault CEO], 'If I get full responsibility, I'll do it.'"

After a disastrous start to the season, Alpine went on to secure P6 in the constructors' standings in 2024.

The team will be looking ahead to 2025 with great optimism as Jack Doohan joins the grid full-time to partner Pierre Gasly.

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