MotoGP Man For Alpine F1

The man who led Suzuki to the top of MotoGP racing in 2020 is now at the top of Alpine Racing in Formula One.

Davide Brivio is a 57-year-old Italian with an admirable record in world championship motorcycle racing, and last year he led Team Suzuki Ecstar to the MotoGP teams’ title and Joan Mir to the riders’ crown.

The announcement of Brivio’s appointment is part of a major shake-up at Renault’s Formula One operation that has cost Cyril Abiteboul his job.

The feisty Abiteboul has worked for Renault since university, and had been expected to return to a mainstream job at the company, but is now leaving completely.

Before joining Suzuki in MotoGP, Brivio oversaw three world championships with the Team Fiat Yamaha and riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo in 2008-2009-2010.

It was this success that introduced Brivio to Renault’s current CEO Luca de Meo, who was then the man in charge of the Fiat brand and used the MotoGP success to sell more cars to an Italy besotted by Rossi’s success.

The relationship clearly left a mark on de Meo who seems to have sought-out Brivio in order to get him involved with Renault’s new Alpine Racing F1 operation.

Abiteboul had been in charge at Renault F1 since 2014 and had shuttled between France and Britain while attending the races, as the technical management was done by chassis technical director Pat Fry at Enstone and engine technical director Rémi Taffin in Viry-Chatillon.

“I would like to thank the Groupe Renault for having trusted me for many years, particularly with the re-launch and reconstruction of the team since 2016,” Abiteboul said.