"If I had the money, I would have both" - Controversial former F1 team boss wants these drivers in his line-up

Former Renault F1 team boss Flavio Briatore claims he would choose to have both Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc in his team if he had the money. The Italian motorsport boss was sacked by Renault after allegedly being involved in the race-fixing of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

When asked who he would choose between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc for his fictional team, Briatore said he would pick Verstappen due to his experience over Leclerc but would want both on the same team under ideal circumstances. He said:

“I would buy Verstappen. He is the best driver in Formula 1 and we saw that already last year. He has more experience this year. He fought for the world title and already won. But if I had the money, I would have both.”

The former team boss is a fan of the sport's new direction, claiming the recent spectacle F1 has become is good for its popularity. The new ground-effect cars allow for closer racing, making the sport exciting for the 71-year-old boss. He said:

“This Formula 1 is totally different and I think it’s good for everybody. America is reinventing F1, for example the Miami race was sold out in three months. Last year we finished the World Championship with an incredible race, and this year we started with the Ferrari double and then with Saudi Arabia, one of the most beautiful races of the last period. It was a nice duel with two very good and very right drivers on the border, but they did it without controversy. It’s very good for F1 as a whole and for the audience.”

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Former F1 boss Briatore acknowledges Ferrari's 2022 form

Ferrari has seemingly made a long-awaited comeback to the top steps of the sport, having won the first race of 2022 and finished P2 in the second. Charles Leclerc is currently leading the championship after two stellar performances in Bahrain and Jeddah.

Flavio Briatore acknowledged the Italian team's newfound form, claiming the team had a realistic shot at the title in 2022. He elaborated, saying:

“Ferrari has a car that can be competitive all year. But anything can happen in a championship fight. The important thing is that the car works well. They’re going to make it to the end and hopefully they’ll win. It will depend more on the drivers and the strategies.”

Fans of the Italian team can certainly hope for a 2022 Ferrari title. Teams such as Red Bull and Mercedes, however, are more than likely to give the Scuderia outfit a run for their money this year.