Briatore Backs Renault’s F1 Return But Warns Success Will Take Time
Flavio Briatore says Renault’s renewed works Formula One effort could eventually bring titles back to Enstone, but immediate wins are unlikely given the scale of the challenge.
Renault’s decision to re-establish itself as a full works team in Formula One has drawn support from Flavio Briatore, the man who led the marque through its most successful period. Speaking as Renault took back control of the Enstone operation for the 2016 season, Briatore described the move as “wonderful and positive news”, but cautioned that a return to winning ways would not come quickly.
Briatore, who was forced out of Formula One following the 2009 'crashgate' scandal, remains closely associated with Renault’s mid-2000s glory. Under his management, the team claimed both drivers’ and constructors’ championships in 2005 and 2006 with Fernando Alonso. Now, as Renault returns to factory status, Briatore says the path to the front will be long. “Winning is unlikely right away, but for the future everything is possible, even if the team needs to know that there is much work to do,” he told Adnkronos.
Asked directly if Renault could recapture the form that brought it titles a decade earlier, Briatore’s answer was direct: “Why not? If they did it ten years ago, they can do it again.”
Renault’s resources for a new era
Renault Sport’s then-chief Jerome Stoll confirmed the company would commit about €300 million annually to the F1 project. That budget placed Renault among the best-funded teams on the grid, theoretically giving it the means to compete with the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari. Still, Briatore and others cautioned that money alone would not guarantee results, especially with Mercedes enjoying a considerable technical advantage in the hybrid era.
Briatore also commented on the wider competitive picture, expressing hope that Ferrari could challenge Mercedes in 2016. He argued that Formula One needed at least two teams fighting at the front to maintain fan interest, while acknowledging the size of Mercedes’ technical lead at the time.
Legacy and rebuilding after past setbacks
Renault’s return followed a period of turbulence for the Enstone squad, including the aftermath of Briatore’s controversial management decisions and the impact of staff reductions in 2007. Cyril Abiteboul, who later led the team, pointed out that cuts made under Briatore’s tenure had set back engine development, leaving Renault on the back foot compared to rivals such as Mercedes, who invested heavily in hybrid technology and infrastructure.
By 2016, Renault’s stated ambition was to rebuild the team’s technical base and workforce, aiming to restore the level of integration and performance seen in its championship years. The company’s approach included recruiting new staff and restructuring its Viry-Chatillon engine facility, with a clear focus on long-term competitiveness rather than short-term results.
Can Renault win again?
Briatore’s optimism about Renault’s future prospects was grounded in the team’s history of overcoming challenges. While he and other insiders agreed that immediate victories were unrealistic, the combination of increased investment, technical rebuilding and the lessons of past management errors gave Renault a platform for future success, if the long-term plan was followed through.
The 2016 season marked the start of a new chapter for Renault, with no guarantees but a clear intention to return to the sharp end of Formula One in the years ahead.
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