Briatore confirms not rushing for F1 return

Flavio Briatore has confirmed reports that he is in no rush to return to the F1 paddock.

While the overturning of the Italian’s motor racing ban is being appealed, the FIA has confirmed that Briatore-managed drivers like Mark Webber will be granted licences to race this year.

But the former Renault team boss Briatore, 59, who is also involved in the world of professional football, said he is not currently interested in coming back to formula one.

“F1 will be a long time without Briatore,” he is quoted as saying by Italian television Sky.  “I am going to take my time for my paternity.”

Briatore is referring to the fact that his 29-year-old model wife Elisabetta is expecting their baby boy, who will “not be called Max”, he joked.

He said he was happy to have won his recent legal action in Paris’ Tribunal de Grande Instance.

“I have thanks for a democratic verdict where legality has been restored.  I hope this is the first step towards a turnaround after years of dictatorship of the will of Max Mosley,” said Briatore.

He claims his lifetime ban over the crashgate scandal was “revenge”.

“Mosley likes to punish people,” said Briatore.  “He has done it a lot in his private as well as his public life.

“For a long time I tried to contribute to formula one.  If we arrived at this situation it is because we created FOTA and somebody lost their head,” he added.

© RIF/GMM