Briatore has no interest in role as F1 'consultant'

Flavio Briatore says he is not about to rejoin his old F1 colleague Ross Brawn by returning to the sport. Briatore, a famous former team boss, worked with new F1 managing director Ross Brawn at Benetton back in the 90s. It has been rumoured the Italian might now be interested in returning as a consultant, but he told Italy's Sky Sport 24: "A consultant? I cannot work for someone else, but anyway consultant is one of those words that means little to me."

But that doesn't mean Briatore is short of opinions about how Liberty Media should improve F1. "I created FOTA to ensure that the drivers were again at the centre," he said of the now-defunct teams association. "I was talking to (Stefano) Domenicali a few days ago. Those watching TV don't care if the engine can go to the moon or not. They want the drivers in cars that have more or less the same performance," the Italian added.

"I worked with Ross Brawn for eight years, when F1 was a sport for gladiators. It seems that he wants to abolish the moving rear wing (DRS), and I agree," said Briatore. "We'll see if he can change things."

But Briatore does see some bright spots with F1 today, and one of them is Max Verstappen. "For what he did in Brazil (2016), it will be enough to give him a car that is a little better and he will win the championship. We didn't see things like this even from the young Senna," Briatore said. (GMM)