Flavio Briatore
Flavio Briatore (born April 12, 1950 at Verzuolo) is an Italian businessman, former commercial director of Benetton, founder of Billionaire Couture, manager and director of Formula 1 racing team Benetton Formula from 1989 to 1997 and former director of Formula 1 racing team Renault F1 Team.
Under his leadership, the Benetton and Renault have won the title of world champion constructors in 1995, 2005 and 2006.
Biography
The son of a family of teachers, he graduated with a degree in surveying. He began working in the early 1970s as a ski instructor and runs a restaurant before becoming the assistant of a businessman Attilio Dutto.
Commercial Director of Benetton
Flavio came to Milan in the mid-1970s, where he worked on the award. There he met Luciano Benetton, founder of the brand's ready-to-wear that bears his name. In the early 1980s, while the brand is expanding, Luciano load Flavio Briatore established United Colors of Benetton in the United States. The attack on the U.S. market will prove a great success.
Director of Formula 1 racing team Benetton
At the end of the 1988 season, Luciano Benetton (since 1986 and the redemption of the Toleman team has its own Formula 1 team) Flavio Briatore invited to attend his first Grand Prix Formula 1 in Australia. Although Briatore appears only moderately impressed by the discipline, he accepts the offer from Luciano to become the commercial director of Benetton Formula from 1989. But soon, Flavio Briatore goes into conflict with Peter Collins, director of the team, it pushes toward the exit. Current 1989, Flavio Briatore is the new director of Benetton Formula.
Soon Briatore operates some spectacular choices, such as recruitment in late 1989 the famous engineer John Barnard, and triple world champion Nelson Piquet Formula 1. However this is mostly from 1991 and the appointment of Tom Walkinshaw (which itself recruits engineer Ross Brawn and soon after Michael Schumacher) that Benetton sets the foundation for its future domination. In 1994 Michael Schumacher Benetton offers his first world drivers (World Championship Formula 1 1994). Then in 1995, Schumacher wins a second drivers' title while Benetton is also sacred to the world championship manufacturers (World Championship Formula 1 1995). But in late 1995, the departure of Schumacher (followed a year later by the engineering duo Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne) leads Benetton on the decline.
Buy Ligier and Minardi
In spring 1994, while leading Benetton to its first world title, Flavio Briatore bought the French Ligier team. The purpose of maneuver is then recovered for the benefit of the Benetton contract between the Ligier Renault engine. After attempting in 1996 to sell the team to Tom Walkinshaw, Briatore Ligier finally sold in February 1997 with Alain Prost who renamed the team Prost Grand Prix.
In 1996, Flavio Briatore also bought shares of the Minardi, but due to disagreement with other shareholders of the team, quickly sold his shares to Gabriele Rumi.
It was also during this period that Flavio Briatore is launching in the management of pilots. In 1996, he launched the careers of his young countrymen Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella. Later, he takes under his wing, the Spaniard Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber of Australia or the hope of Finland Heikki Kovalainen.
In late 1997, the Benetton team, whose sporting achievements are increasingly disappointing Briatore replaced by Briton David Richards. But Briatore did not stay long away from the world of F1 as it leverages its relationships with Renault (Benetton official engine of 1995 to 1997) to establish the brand Supertec intended to provide a fee for teams who wish to V10 famous brand in diamond. Teams Williams, Benetton, BAR and Arrows and use engines Supertec.
Director of Renault F1 Team
Flavio Briatore makes his return to F1 through the front door in early 2000, when the French firm Renault bought the Benetton team. Renault Briatore immediately appoint the head of Renault Sport UK is to say, the antenna of the British team in Enstone (which will still officially committed to F1 as the Benetton until the end of 2001, before take the Renault F1 Team). Then, in 2003, Renault says Briatore also the head of the French branch of the team (located in Viry-Chatillon). Editor Briatore, the Renault team has won two world titles in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, he still has the heavy task of making his team win but this time without Alonso. In 2008, after a mixed experience in the McLaren-Mercedes, Alonso returns to the fold. The first Grand Prix of the season are not up to the hopes of the Italian manager, but during the first night grand prix in the history of Formula 1 in Singapore, Fernando Alonso is needed, and really starts the season of 'French team. It also required the following Grand Prix, which takes place in Japan, at the foot of Mount Fuji.
The controversial Grand Prix 2008
During the Grand Prix of Belgium August 30, 2009, the Brazilian television network Globo TV revealed that it has information proving that Flavio Briatore has asked Nelsinho Piquet to crash his car during the Grand Prix 2008 to induce Release of the safety car and promote the victory of his team-mate Fernando Alonso.
Following these allegations, FIA opened an investigation and will convene the leaders of the team September 21, 2009. On September 16, 2009, the Renault F1 Team announces that it separates from his manager Flavio Briatore and his executive director of engineering Pat Symonds, implicitly accepted responsibility for acts of cheating Grand Prix 2008.
On 21 September the court of the FIA's verdict states: "At a special meeting of the Council World Motor Sport held in Paris September 21, 2009, ING Renault F1 Team has acknowledged that the team had planned with its driver Nelson Piquet Jr. of deliberately causing a crash during the Grand Prix 2008, going against the International Sporting Code and the sports regulations of F1. Renault F1 said at the hearing that it conducted an internal investigation which found that Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds Nelson Piquet Jr and had conspired to cause an accident and no other person team was involved in the intrigue .
After deliberation by the Council World Motor Sport, Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds found guilty of cheating; Briatore is removed from the world of Formula 1 and any sport governed by the FIA, and Symonds scoop of exclusion of five years. The Renault team, meanwhile, is suspended for life on probation. However, this disqualification will be imposed if the Renault is found guilty of similar acts by the end of the 2011 season.
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