F1 News: Briatore does not want to see Michael Schumacher

(GMM) Flavio Briatore has hinted that F1 legend Michael Schumacher’s days are now limited to “lying on a bed”.

Flavio Briatore, Alpine team principal, during the Spanish GP, Barcelona 29 May-1 June 2025, Montemelò Formula 1 World championship 2025.

A few days ago, Briatore – who was boss at Benetton (later Renault and Alpine) when Schumacher won his first two titles back to back – admitted that he had deliberately not tried to visit the seven time world champion since his brain injuries.

“If I close my eyes,” he now expands in conversation with Corriere della Sera, “I see him smiling after a victory.

“I prefer to remember him like that rather than him just lying on a bed. Corinna and I talk often, though.”

Briatore, now 75, returned to Formula 1 last year as Alpine’s executive advisor. Because he is not directly employed by the team or Renault, however, he is not officially team boss – although he appeared as ‘team representative’ in the FIA press conference in Barcelona last Friday.

The Italian was absent from the paddock for years amid a lifelong ban for orchestrating Nelson Piquet junior’s deliberate Singapore GP crash in 2008 that enabled Fernando Alonso to win the race.

“I have to say thank you to Stefano Domenicali, who allowed me to return to Formula 1,” Briatore told the Italian newspaper.

Corriere della Sera asked Briatore if Schumacher or Alonso can be considered the greatest F1 driver of all time.

“I don’t know who the greatest is, because we’ve had Schumacher, Senna, Alonso,” he answered. “Now, the number one is definitely (Max) Verstappen.

“I have two cars at Alpine, so I would like to have two Verstappens.”

Wished he had two Max Verstappen’s – Flavio Briatore, Alpine team principal, during the Spanish GP, Barcelona 29 May-1 June 2025, Montemelò Formula 1 World championship 2025.

May 26, 2025

(GMM) Flavio Briatore says he has no interest in visiting his old friend and colleague, Michael Schumacher (pictured in early 90s).

Together, as Benetton team boss and driver, the duo won their first world championships in 1994 and 1995 – before Schumacher moved on to Ferrari and won five more titles.

But when Schumacher, now 56, suffered severe brain damage in a late 2013 skiing fall, Briatore says he did not visit the great German – and hasn’t regretted his decision since then.

“We last saw each other at a boxing event in Germany, a few months before his terrible skiing accident,” Briatore, back in the F1 paddock this year as the powerful executive advisor at Alpine, told RTL.

The 75-year-old insists he won’t be asking Michael’s wife Corinna if he can join the very small group of people who have been allowed to visit the seven time world champion in his current physical state.

“I want to remember Michael as he was – full of energy and strength,” Briatore said. “He wouldn’t want me to remember him the way he is now.”

The Italian says he still has great affection for Schumacher.

“Michael and his family were a big part of the success, including my personal success,” said Briatore.

“I want to keep those moments – they were amazing. Corinna is an incredible woman. She’s very courageous. She did a great job to keep the family together.”