F1 News: 'Crashgate' boss Briatore appointed advisor for Alpine

Former Renault Formula 1 team boss Flavio Briatore, best known as Flavio ‘Crashgate’ Briatore has been appointed executive advisor to the Alpine F1 team.

The move marks the return of the 74-year-old to the team from which he was forced to resign in 2009 in the wake of the controversy over the fixing of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

Briatore has been appointed by Luca de Meo, chief executive officer of Alpine’s parent company Renault, to “predominantly focus on top level areas of the team”, a statement said.

It added that his roles would include “scouting top talents and providing insights on the driver market, challenging the existing project by assessing the current structure and advising on some strategic matters within the sport”.

Briatore’s return to a leading executive role in F1 completes his rehabilitation following the so-called ‘crashgate’ scandal, when Renault driver Nelson Piquet deliberately crashed in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix on the instructions of his team.

The incident advantaged his team-mate Fernando Alonso, who went on to win the race.

Briatore was banned by governing body the FIA from its events indefinitely after he was found guilty of orchestrating the incident.

He has always denied involvement – and in 2010, France’s high court overturned that ban.