Alpine F1 team principal Oliver Oakes has lifted the lid on Flavio Briatore's role in what is set to be a new management structure for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Bruno Famin's move to oversee other Renault Group activities cleared the way for Oakes to take charge of the team as they recorded a sixth-place finish in the constructors' standings.
Over half of their points for the season were picked up during a chaotic wet-weather race in Brazil that saw Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly secure a double podium behind a rampant Max Verstappen.
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Oakes: Briatore is 'above everyone' at Alpine
Alpine will hope to improve in 2025 and Briatore will no doubt play a vital role in the team's success.
The F1 veteran has long been connected with the sport and following a hiatus in 2009 returned last year to assist Renault chiefs with their attempt to propel Alpine further up the standings.
Oakes has now explained how the Alpine leadership hierarchy will work and Briatore's new role with the team.
“Yeah, I mean Flavio is above everyone,” he told PlanetF1.
“He’s been there, done it, got the t-shirt and I think it’s very clear that the alignment there between me, Flavio, and Luca.
“The three of us are in everything together. There’s no organisation chart, there’s no power play, it’s really transparent and I think probably that was something missing maybe before as well.
“From my side, I’m the man on the ground – whether that’s at the factory or here on track.
“Our structure is no different now to a couple of other teams on the grid – there’s the three of us here, you’ve got Luca [de Meo] as CEO of [the] group, you’ve got Flavio [Briatore], as executive advisor, and me as team principal.
“I think, really, titles don’t mean much. It’s whether the three of you are aligned in the direction you’re going.”