Until the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League
For a while, Davide Brivio, a manager who transitioned from MotoGP to Formula 1, believes the main reason for his unsuccessful stint with Alpine F1 can be summed up in one word: “credibility.”
Brivio had joined the rebranded Renault F1 team before the 2021 season, shortly after his remarkable achievement in MotoGP – winning the main class rider and team titles for Suzuki, a smaller-scale factory team that was rebuilt from scratch. This victory ended Suzuki’s nearly two-decade wait for a MotoGP championship.
For Brivio, it was the culmination of his MotoGP career, which also included orchestrating Valentino Rossi’s move from Honda to Yamaha and the subsequent success that followed.
However, the 59-year-old Italian quickly became a peripheral figure after his move to Alpine and four-wheel racing. He was first sidelined from Formula 1 responsibilities and eventually parted ways with the company altogether.
Now, as the new team principal of Trackhouse in the MotoGP paddock, Brivio spoke about his time with Alpine in an interview. “I’m happy, I’m very happy to have had the chance to do this,” he insisted. “I would have missed out if I hadn’t done it. Even though it didn’t happen as I thought, as I wanted.”
“But it was a great opportunity for me to look inside. And of course, I also met amazing people, I have friends there.”
“It was an interesting moment. Difficult at times, I admit. Quite difficult. But looking back, I’m happy I did it.”
“I would try again, but maybe with this experience, it would be better.”
When asked about the reasons behind his unsuccessful stint with Alpine, Brivio shared his own perspective. “Yes, I understand… no, I understand, I have my own ideas.
“I came into Formula 1 with no previous experience. So, probably without that credibility in Formula 1 that you need to be at a certain level.
“Because, when I entered Formula 1, I was at a management level. But I didn’t have the experience – in Formula 1. I had it in MotoGP.
“In MotoGP, I spent many years going through different roles and, in the end, I ended up being whatever it was – team manager, team principal, but with experience.
“So, when you get there, you have the experience, you know the environment very well, you know the people and you have built your credibility – because if they take you there, it’s probably because you deserved it, step by step.
“In Formula 1, I jumped straight into a management position without that credibility.”
Brivio’s theory aligns perfectly with the perception of his hiring and the overall changes happening within the Alpine F1 team.
Cyril Abiteboul had just left the team when Brivio arrived, and the team was transitioning from the yellow of Renault to the blue of Alpine. Abiteboul was never directly replaced, and it seemed like his responsibilities were shared between Marcin Budkowski and Brivio.
Budkowski left a year later, and Brivio’s role changed significantly. The turmoil within the team continued, with most of the senior F1 figures leaving by the time Brivio departed at the end of 2023. Alpine’s weak start to the 2024 season led to more leadership changes, especially on the technical side.
Since the acquisition of Lotus in 2016, the Renault-owned team has faced a lack of leadership stability, and the recent high turnover is not surprising. It is understandable to hear Brivio talk about a “credibility gap.”
According to most reports, Brivio was hired from the corporate level rather than being groomed by the racing team. Therefore, it is not absurd to imagine that established senior figures in Formula 1 within the team may have struggled to fully embrace Brivio’s idea. They may have been discouraged and alarmed by the prospect of a newcomer with no Formula 1 experience being brought in to fix a program that was falling behind its goals.
“Probably – I don’t know, it’s my idea! – it was more difficult to be a credible manager,” Brivio continued.
“Not with everyone, but with some key people.
“And probably didn’t have enough experience to be there. Maybe too high, too early.
“But that’s a lesson I learned.
“I’m glad I learned it. So, as I said, I have no regrets.
“I’m very happy to have had this experience. It could have been different, but it was certainly a great experience.”
None of this implies whether Brivio was able to succeed in Formula 1 or not. However, his feedback suggests that Alpine simply was not the right place or time for him to bring his MotoGP experience to four-wheeled grand prix racing.
© 2024
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