"I thought you were a f**king w**ker": Flavio Briatore comes clean to Pierre Gasly on his perception of the French driver in the past

Pierre Gasly saw a candid side of Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore when the latter shared his opinion on the former's talent. In the Netflix series 'Drive to Survive,' Briatore said that he never believed in Gasly's ability to pull off a strong race, which left the driver in splits.

The 2024 F1 season saw the return of controversial Italian businessman Flavio Briatore. After being accused as a conspirator in the infamous 2008 Crashgate scandal, the businessman was banned from F1.

The scandal revolved around Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. purposely crashing in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to bring a safety car in and help his teammate, Fernando Alonso, win.

However, the ban was lifted in 2013, and in 2024, he returned as Alpine's executive advisor.

Meanwhile, Briatore had some screen space in the Netflix series 'Drive to Survive.' In season seven, he had a candid chat with Alpine driver Pierre Gasly after the latter finished P5 in the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.

"What you've done in the last race was masterpiece driving, honestly. I never believed you were able to do stuff like that. I thought you were a fu**ing w**ker. I promise you it's true," he told the driver [7:00 onwards].

Pierre Gasly burst into laughter upon hearing Briatore's honest assessment. Having said that, Gasly had a strong season in 2024. He clinched a podium in the Brazilian Grand Prix and finished the season with a record of not sustaining any damage to his car.

For the 2025 season, however, Gasly will have a new teammate in Jack Doohan. After Esteban Ocon parted ways, Alpine promoted the junior driver. However, Doohan's seat is reportedly not safe.

Flavio Briatore also signed Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver this year. According to rumors swirling around the paddock, Colapinto could replace Doohan if he fails to perform in a set number of races in the first half of the upcoming season.

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Pierre Gasly issues concerning verdict for Alpine ahead of 2025 season

Pierre Gasly (Image Source: Getty)

Alpine finished P6 in the constructors championship standings last year with a total of 65 points. However, for the 2025 season, Pierre Gasly does not see his team contesting for wins or podium finishes much more often.

During the F175 event held in London, Gasly offered a preview of Alpine's 2025 season expectations and said:

"I don't care about being 8th, 9th or 10th, I want to win, I want to finish on the podium, and I know it is not going to be easy to make [the gap] up this year."

However, Gasly is expecting bigger and better things from the 2026 season, as engine regulations are set to be overhauled.

"But I know in 2026, we're starting with the same weapons as other teams, and it is up to us to deliver the best car possible," he added.

The 2025 F1 season will begin on March 16 with the 2025 Australian Grand Prix.