Chief Billionaire of Italy: “A modern woman cannot be spoiled by money. Air seller Formula 1 owner flavio

Flavio Briatore is an Italian entrepreneur best known for his successful leadership of the Formula 1, Benetton and Renault teams, which won the Constructors' Championship three times and their drivers became world champions four times.

short biography

Flavio Briatore was born in Verzuolo near Cuneo, Italy, in the Maritime Alps, into a family of teachers. primary school. After receiving a diploma in surveying, he began working as an insurance agent. In 1974 he moved to Cuneo, where he worked as a representative of the financial company CONAFI. At the same time, Flavio took up real estate in Sardinia, the Isola Rossa resort complex, which he sold a year later to an entrepreneur from Cuneo. In 1975, Briatore co-founded Cuneo Leasing, the largest leasing company in Italy, which was later acquired by the De Benedetti Group. In 1977, he was appointed managing director of the market leader in paint and varnish coatings, Paramatti.

Meet Benetton

In 1979, Flavio Briatore moved to Milan, where he worked for the financial group Finanziaria Generale Italia. Here he met entrepreneur Luciano Benetton, who would later play a key role in his career.

In the early 1980s, Briatore was involved in gambling cases. He received a sentence, but was later amnestied, and in 2010 he was rehabilitated by a Turin court. Briatore fully paid the damages to the victims.

In the mid-80s, the Italian entrepreneur was in the United States, where, thanks to his close relationship with Luciano Benetton, he opened several clothing stores and actively contributed to the expansion of Benetton into the United States market.

"Formula 1"

Flavio Briatore attended the race for the first time during the Australian Grand Prix in 1988. A year later, Luciano Benetton appointed him commercial director of Benetton Formula Ltd (formerly Toleman), based in England. Soon after, Briatore was appointed managing director and turned Benetton into a competitive team. The Formula 1 manager brought a unique and innovative management style: he saw motor racing as not just a sport, but primarily a spectacle and a business, so he focused on marketing and communication as key elements to attract wealthy sponsors and prestigious partners.

Briatore hired and quickly fired engineer John Barnard. Tom Walkinshaw took his place and together they began to restructure Benetton. In 1991, Briatore quickly and astutely brought in young driver Michael Schumacher from Jordan and began building a team around the talented German. In 1994, Schumacher won the Drivers' Championship, and then Briatore managed to form a strategic alliance with Renault, which gave Benetton the added advantage of a very powerful engine the following season. The team achieved double success in 1995 when Schumacher won the World Drivers' Championship and Benetton Formula won the Constructors' Championship.

In 1993, Briatore created the racing driver search and management agency FB Management, which over the years has served such talented drivers as Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli, Robert Kubica, Max Webber and Pastor Maldonado. World champion Fernando Alonso, whom Briatore discovered and placed under the care of his agency in 1999, was only 18 years old.

At the end of 1994, the Italian entrepreneur acquired the French Ligier team, restructured it and two years later it won the Monte Carlo Grand Prix with Pani. In 1997, Briatore sold Ligier to Alain Prost, who renamed it Prost Grand Prix (the team folded in 2002).

In 1996, he bought Minardi and a year later sold it to Gabriela Rumi. That same year, Michael Schumacher left Benetton and moved to Ferrari.

In 1997, with the consent of the Benetton family, Briatore decided to leave the team, selling his shares in order to finance and lead his new project, remaining in Formula 1. He created the company Supertek, which employed 200 people and became the leading supplier of engines to Formula 1. From 1998 to 2000, Supertek supplied engines to the Benetton, Williams, Bar and Arrows teams. .

Children's shoes and pharmaceuticals

In the mid-90s, Briatore decided to diversify his interests. In 1995, he acquired children's shoe manufacturer Kickers and resold it shortly thereafter. Then in 1998 he bought a small Italian pharmaceutical company, Pierrel. It was later acquired by an American group. Thanks to the dynamic and innovative business plan of Briatore and entrepreneur Canio Mazzaro, Pierrel was reconstructed and successfully listed on the Italian stock exchange in 2006. A few years later, it became an international company and was included in the list of awards for achievements in the field of clinical research. In 2007, Briatore sold most of his shares, but still owns a small stake in the company.

Business on luxury

In 1998 Briatore opened night club on the Emerald Coast: Billionaire (“Billionaire”) has quickly become a favorite entertainment spot for the world's rich. In just a few years, the establishment has gained international fame, becoming synonymous with glamor and quality relaxation. The brand is now a luxury services holding company that includes nightclubs, beach clubs, restaurants, hotels and resorts.

Renault Team

In 2000, Flavio Briatore orchestrated the purchase of Benetton by Renault and the French car manufacturer appointed him managing director of the Renault F1 team. Two years later he also became managing director of Renault Sport. The Italian businessman overhauled his team of more than 1,100 people across factories in France and the UK with his signature style of cutting budgets, optimizing internal human resources and pursuing an aggressive marketing and communications strategy. Despite the fact that Renault's budget was 5th among Formula 1 teams, Renault F1 progressed quickly and achieved a double victory in 2005: Alonso won the Drivers' Championship and the team received the Constructors' Championship. The same impressive results were repeated in 2006, when Renault F1 took the titles in both championships.

GP2 Series

In 2005, Briatore conceived and created the GP2 series, a championship that would become a proving ground and showcase for talented drivers and engineers. Behind a short time GP2 has become the most popular and respected competition series after Formula 1. Racers such as Heiki Kovalainen, Pastor Maldonado and

In 2010, Briatore sold the successful GP2 to the CVC group, which already owned Formula 1.

British football

In 2006, he, together with acquired the English football team Queens Park Rangers. The club's four-year plan saw it rise from the Championship to the Premier League. In 2011, after the first 3 matches in the top division, Briatore and Ecclestone sold the team to Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandez.

Conflict with the FIA

In July 2008, the Formula 1 Team met to form FOTA. Briatore took on the role of its commercial director (appointed by President Luca di Montezemolo) and negotiated with the FIA ​​about the future of Formula 1. FOTA asked for cost cuts due to the global economic crisis and the introduction of new rules aimed at increasing the entertainment of the competition. The federation presented its own plan for the 2010 championship, which led to conflict. Following a meeting organized by Briatore at Renault F1 headquarters on 18 June 2009, the eight FOTA teams rejected the FIA's proposals and decided to break away and organize their own championship. Ultimately, the parties came to an agreement and on June 29, at the World Council, Max Mosley announced his resignation as FIA President, stating that International Federation will not introduce any changes in 2010.

Suspension and rehabilitation

Not surprisingly, just a month later the FIA ​​opened an investigation into one of last year's races, the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. The federation accused Briatore, as head of Renault F1, of forcing a driver to fake an accident during the race in favor of the victory of his teammate Fernando Alonso . On September 21, 2009, the FIA ​​World Motor Sport Council (despite confirming the victory of Alonso and Renault), suspended Flavio Briatore from participation in Formula 1 and conditionally disqualified the Renault team. He sued the International Automobile Federation, demanding to restore his reputation, and on January 5, 2010, a court in Paris annulled his suspension, declaring the illegality of the procedure. The tribunal also ordered the FIA ​​to pay 15 thousand euros in damages to Briatore and ruled that he could return to Formula 1 starting from the 2013 season.

Persecution in Italy

In May 2010, Italian customs officers detained the Force Blue yacht on charges of VAT evasion. The owner of the vessel is a company of which Briatore is named as a beneficiary. Prosecutors blamed the fact that the ship was engaged in charter transportation. In July, a judge said Force Blue could resume commercial operations under the supervision of a designated receiver until the case was dismissed. Italy's financial police also seized €1.5 million from Briatore's bank accounts on charges of tax evasion. However, the prosecutor's office overturned this decision and the amount was immediately returned to its owner.

Global expansion

In 2011, Billionaire Life's international expansion continued on all fronts, including the Italian luxury menswear line Billionaire Couture, launched in 2005. The company is a joint venture with the Percassi business group, and the brand's global presence has been steadily growing.

In November 2011, Flavio Briatore launched the first branch of his famous nightclub in Istanbul.

In the spring of 2012, the Italian entrepreneur opened the prestigious CIPRIANI Monte Carlo club and two summer clubs in Porto Cervo: Billionaire Bodrum and Billionaire Monte Carlo.

The ambitious Billionaire Resort, a luxury residential development in Malindi on the Kenyan coast, was completed in 2013. Modern and eco-friendly, the stunning resort is located next to the Lion in the Sun Hotel and Spa.

Today Billionaire Life employs approximately 1,200 people in Europe and Africa.

In April 2013, Briatore gave it a new direction by selling most of its leisure and entertainment divisions, including the Billionaire clubs in Porto Cervo, Istanbul, Bodrum and Twiga Beach Club to prestigious Singapore investment fund Bay Capital. The goal of the alliance is to expand the brand in Asia and the rest of the world.

In September 2012, Briatore starred for the first time in the Italian version of the famous TV show The Apprentice as The Boss. The show gained a cult following and a second season was filmed in 2014.

Flavio Briatore and his women

The Italian entrepreneur, who was constantly involved in scandalous affairs with top models, including Naomi Campbell and Heidi Klum, who gave birth to his daughter Helen, married model Elisabetta Gregoraci in 2008. The couple has a son, Falco Nathan, born on March 18, 2010.

His name in Italy is synonymous with success. The philosophy of life is wealth and luxury. Vinyl at parties in his famous Billionaire Club, which is a three-story villa in one of the most picturesque points of the Costa Smeralda - Porto Cervo, is played by the best DJs, the most famous characters from New York to Moscow light up the dance floor, and in general - Here, as his guests, the richest people in the world like to relax. He never hid that he knows a lot about entertainment; his companions at different times were extremely spectacular beauties, from Heidi Klum, Naomi Campbell and Eva Herzigova to his current wife, the luxurious model Elisabetta Gregoraci. At the same time, he knows how to work like a clockworker and knows how to make good money: Flavio Briatore’s range of interests is quite extensive - from Formula 1 racing (at one time it was Flavio who introduced the world to the names of Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso) to the entertainment industry and fashion. Many young Italians today want to be like Briatore - just look at his page on Facebook or Instagram, where young people shower him with compliments and ask for help to take the first step.

« I was born and raised in a small village in northern Italy in a family of teachers primary classes. Most of my friends dreamed of living and working there for the rest of their lives, which was too little for my ambitions.”

« At the age of 18 I went to Monte Carlo for the first time, look at the boats in the port and sports cars in the city. While my friends silently admired them, something clicked in me - I began to think about how to become successful and wealthy. For what? Of course, to buy yachts, cars, etc. In the shortest possible time, I did everything possible to leave - first to Milan, and then to America. Today I live in Monte Carlo."

Even if you are very rich, remain hungry. It is important. When I say hunger, I mean desire and drive...

« My first big break– this is a meeting with Luciano Benetton, my friend and mentor. I learned a lot from him. Together we founded Benetton in the USA. The second turning point, the most important in my career, was joining Formula 1, where I also found an amazing friend and mentor - Bernie Ecclestone (today Mr. Ecclestone is the honorary president of Formula 1 - Note MC).”

« Yes, I won seven Formula 1 championships(under the leadership of Flavio, his teams won the Constructors' Championship three times, and the pilots became world champions four times - among them Michael Schumacher, who drives for the Benetton team, and Fernando Alonso, who drives for Renault. - Note MC), but would not have done it alone . First I created a team, took the best engineers and mechanics, found the best engines. I have a good instinct. I immediately knew that Michael and Fernando would become champions, although we met when they were very young. My business rules are the same for other projects – high-quality team building, developed instincts, plus the right environment.”

« I do not have a hobby like golf or collecting. My hobby has always been work."

« In business you're constantly up and down.- these are parts of one process. Failure befalls you. There can be many reasons: time, chance, the fault of another person. It is important not to think that after one failure you will now always fail. You have to gather your strength and move on to the next step.”

« Chew barbed wire. Success requires sacrifice! – this is one of my main rules. I have experienced the feeling of filo spinato many times and I can assure you that immunity is not developed: every time you “chew”, but you become stronger. I expect the same kind of sacrifice and perseverance from the people who work for me, especially the younger generation, who sometimes, frankly, are disappointed by their lack of willpower, unwillingness to get their hands dirty, or inability to take a hit and rise again.”

« Determination is important for success. You need to take chances, look for opportunities, travel, learn other languages ​​to open your mind to other cultures. You need to communicate and make the right connections. Even with the highest qualifications, you shouldn’t be afraid to start from scratch and work your way up.”

« Be hungry. Remember that your goal is to prove something to yourself, and not to others - this is the most important rule for any boss. When I say hunger, I mean the desire and drive that I have in me to come up with new projects and implement them. I feel a sense of pride when I see that a new business is developing successfully, but this success is more important for the team that has worked and will work on this project.”

« I sympathize those to whom, along with wealth, came such a vice as greed. In my opinion, money is there to invest and enjoy, to create opportunities for yourself and for others.”

« My drive is passion. I recently helped Sardinian pastoralists sell their unique cheese directly (without intermediaries) to the Eataly group and leading restaurants in the world. I didn't benefit financially from it, but I was happy to help deserving people who have a great product but don't know how to sell it. I helped them with my advice and connections and felt great satisfaction when the project took place.”

« Good boss always well informed, delves into every aspect of the business, communicates with everyone (from the clerk to the manager) - this is an amazing motivation for employees and an excellent source of information.”

« I'm giving a second chance to everyone and always, except those who made a very serious mistake. However, I never give a third chance. In business, the book of excuses has very few pages.”

It's important to surround yourself with young people because they help keep your mind young and keep you motivated. They learn from you, but you also learn from them.

« You make money, you lose money - it's a cycle. My only fear, like any person, is losing my health. No amount of money can buy health. All other problems can be solved.”

« Has defeating the disease changed my life?(Flavio Briatore was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in 2006. - Note by MS.) This was a turning point. When you realize that your life may soon end, your worldview changes. You want to fight, as I did, and then you find other priorities. Soon after my recovery, I got married and Elisabetta and I had a child. My son Nathan Falco is the best thing in my life. It gives me joy, surprises me every day and keeps me young.”

« Money“certainly help, I won’t deny it, but I enjoyed life and felt happy even when I had no money at all.”

« First 1000 euros I started working at an insurance company when I was 20. I immediately bought my first car and several good suits.”

« I'm 67 according to my passport and 30 years at heart. I haven't changed. It's important to surround yourself with young people like I do because they help keep your mind young and keep you motivated. They learn from you, but you also learn from them.”

« My seven year old son Nathan Falco often travels to Kenya and sees how children live there. He is very sensitive and understands that he is lucky, he has a lot available to him. I try to give him the right perception so he can understand that nothing in life comes easy and what he has is because of hard work, patience and sacrifice.”

« Which one do I see? successful woman? A woman should be natural, spontaneous, so that you don’t get bored with her. Certainly, appearance plays a role, but sometimes you see beautiful women that are too “done” or too negative and therefore lose their appeal. It's the same with men. Ask anyone, she will tell you that she wants to be with someone who makes her laugh and enjoys life.”

« Modern woman money cannot be spoiled, modern women are independent and in many cases they earn a lot through their work. For both men and women, the main thing is to maintain a rational attitude towards finances in order to use them wisely.”

« Marie Claire Russia asked me to identify personal places of power in Italy. It is not difficult. Despite the fact that, as I said above, I live in Monte Carlo and often visit Milan, it is only three hours by car from my home. It's not just my business there. I note that the city has recently become more cosmopolitan, elegant and vibrant. I spend part of the summer in Porto Cervo, it is my second home. But besides the glamor of the Costa Smeralda, I recommend visiting the coastal interior, small villages like San Pantaleo to try authentic food, excellent local cheese and admire local art. I like to spend a long weekend in Capri every summer. Go there for a great atmosphere and good service.”

« I have many friends among Russians– they live in Russia, and in London, and in Monte Carlo. Most of them are loyal clients of my establishments: Twiga Versilia and Twiga Monte Carlo, Cipriani Monte Carlo, Twiga London. By the way, there is a large Russian community on the Riviera, and for this reason I recently opened Caviar Kaspia Monte Carlo there. My Russian friends love this place.”

« Why do Russians love Italy? You have strong traditions of art, aesthetics and beauty. Italy shares the same traditions and feelings. In addition, Russians like the Italian way of life: just like Italians, they love to eat delicious food and have a good time. Whether for business or pleasure, food is an important component for both nationalities. There is another similarity: both prefer to dress well.”

Text: Alina Simonova

This middle-aged and outwardly not the most attractive man has broken a lot women's hearts. Among his “victims” are such recognized beauties as Naomi Campbell and Heidi Klum.

62-year-old Flavio Briatore and his wife, 32-year-old Elisabetta Gregoraci, are enjoying a beach holiday in Forte dei Marmi, Italy. Of course, everything happens “under the supervision” of the paparazzi, and even such a powerful person as Briatore (owner of nightclubs, former manager Formula 1) are unable to prevent this. Apparently, the presence of prying eyes does not bother the couple: Flavio and Elisabetta are not at all shy about showing tender feelings in public.

Gregoraci, who previously advertised underwear, has not lost her shape. The girl's figure looked amazing in a bright red bikini. By the way, the couple’s son, 2-year-old Falko Nathan, was vacationing with his parents. In the difficult task of looking after a child, Elisabetta is helped by two assistants - a Filipina and an Italian.

The couple has been married for four years (this, by the way, is the first and so far only marriage of a millionaire) and seems to be happy. When the couple had a son in March 2010, Briatore admitted that this event completely changed his life, and he himself became much calmer. True, for now he prefers not to raise the baby. Briatore believes that changing diapers is exclusively a woman’s responsibility: “No, no, it’s a woman’s job. I'm good, of course, but not that good. But overall it's funny. Is born small man and completely changes your life."

Before Heidi, Briatore had a high-profile romance with supermodel Naomi Campbell. They even seemed to be planning to get married, but during an ordinary quarrel on the millionaire’s yacht “Lady Blue”, the Italian could not restrain himself and hit Naomi, and then threw her things overboard. The Black Panther did not forgive such an act. “I'm not going to be a prize! If you think that I will cook breakfast in the kitchen in stiletto heels and look like a magazine cover from morning to evening, this will not happen!” - Naomi confided in Marie Claire magazine after the breakup.

But Elisabetta Gregoraci fully met Flavio's expectations. The former “Miss Calabria” is quite predictable: posing for a photo, she pouts, carries a Yorkshire terrier under her arm and does not contradict her husband in anything... What else is needed for happiness?

By the way, the famous Billionaire club in Sardinia, which belongs to Briatore, is closing at the end of this summer after 14 years of existence. Now regulars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Prince Andrew, Sir Philip Green and Silvio Berlusconi will move to Monte Carlo, where Flavio opened a new establishment in May this year.

A former loser, card sharper and fugitive from justice, he introduced Schumacher and Fernando Alonso to the world, fathered Heidi Klum's child, invented jeans with gold buttons and saved the London club Queens Park Rangers from bankruptcy. And then he arranged an accident for his pilot, received accusations of fraud and crashed out of Formula 1 with a bang - and forever. Flavio Briatore is at your service.

The Italian sports panopticon has never suffered from a shortage of colorful personalities. The box is still full of them: Berlusconi's gargoyle, Galliani's penguin man, Collina's bald devil, Massimo Ferrero's teddy bear with the appearance of actor Giancarlo Giannini and the habits of the Animal from The Muppet Show, crazy San Lorenzo fan Pope Francis, plus a series of capitalist simpler crown princes - like Moratti or De Laurentiis. All of them jointly cultivate the corrupt field of Apennine sport of great achievements with its endless scandals, enchanting coaching leapfrogs and periodic exits into great disgrace like Calciopoli. All of them are worthy of their own ode - each in their own genre. Some of them could become the hero of Machiavelli's treatise, some - a novel by Lampedusa, some - a comedy by Castellano and Pipolo. Flavio Briatore in this sense is one hundred percent hero of the purely Italian comic genre - opera buffa, populated by seductive busty maids, charming rogues and defrauded rich men.

Unlike future colleagues in Dolce Vita, Briatore began life modestly. The son of primary school teachers, he twice failed to enroll in public school, so his parents had to tighten their belts and send their son to a private school, from which young Flavio graduated with the worst grades. After working as an instructor at an Alpine resort, Briatore quickly changed his low-paying occupation to a more promising career restaurant manager. “I can’t stand the cold, I love the sea,” Don Flavio later admitted. True, the Tribula establishment he opened, named after one of the nicknames of the aspiring restaurateur, was soon closed due to debts. The enterprising fellow began knocking on doors already in the role of a traveling salesman, but he grew tired of the faces of ordinary citizens even faster than the smiles of retired tourists, and then he became an assistant to the owner of a paint production company, Attilio Dutto. At this point you can switch to “ Godfather“, because after some time Dutto died while driving his own car from the explosion of a bomb planted by an unknown attacker.

He knows that he revealed Schumacher to the world.

Briatore and Jean Todt (Ferrari) in France.

Having moved to Milan and got a job at the stock exchange, thirty-year-old Briatore met Luciano Benetton. It would seem that this is the basis for a breakthrough into high society; but not everything is so simple in the world of capital without borders. The experienced billionaire did not immediately need a young, daring protégé: first, Flavio had to prove his usefulness and properly prove himself in what he knows best - in the ancient business of cheating. In 1984, Briatore first fell into the gentle clutches of the law - and received a year and a half for fraud. But in 1986, he served three whole years on charges of organizing card games. Don Flavio arranged his wiring according to highest level, like in the movie “The Scam”: the victims of the prank found themselves in the center of a carefully orchestrated setup with the participation of a special staff of card cheating professionals. After appealing, the great strategist received a final sentence of one year and two months and, preferring resort exile to Lombardy bunks, headed off to the Caribbean. And that’s where Benetton finally needed him.

To begin with, Flavio had to prove his usefulness and properly prove himself in what he knows best - in the ancient business of cheating.

While chilling in the Virgin Islands, Briatore set about building Benetton's overseas empire; opened several stores on the islands, then became director of the company's American branch. Don Flavio turned out to be a dexterous organizer; a white-toothed smile, an unlimited advertising budget, cheap clothes - all this appeals to Americans, so at its peak Benetton USA had eight hundred stores. It was then, in the late 1980s, that our hero began to get very lucky. Firstly, he was granted an amnesty and was able to return to his homeland. Secondly, Benetton had just fired the manager of his Formula 1 team, and Flavio’s candidacy surfaced by itself.

2003

Flavio in Germany hangs out at the UNESCO Gala

In principle, motorsports did not excite him at all; Having barely returned from his Caribbean “imprisonment”, Briatore, at the invitation of his boss, attended his first race - the 1988 Australian Grand Prix - after which in an interview he voiced complete indifference to the entire enterprise. However, having taken over as manager of Benetton Formula Ltd., Don Flavio got down to business. In pure Italian style, he hired and immediately fired the chief engineer. He lured 22-year-old Schumacher from the Jordan team, who soon took his first two championships for the new boss - in 1994 and 1995. It’s funny that in Benetton’s first winning season, 1994, Don Flavio’s true talents made themselves known: the team was checked for possible cheating. The unpleasant situation ended with a two-race ban for Schumacher. It is not surprising that Scummi left after two years, and a year later old Benetton also got tired of the bad smell and fired Briatore himself.

As befits a true survivor, Don Flavio remained in business and founded Supertec, a company supplying Renault engines, which he sold with great success, including to former employers. It is interesting that Supertec engines were not, as they say, a deluxe product and were considered obsolete, but thanks to their cheapness and tolerable speed they were able to gain popularity among mid-table teams that lacked stars from the sky. Soon Briatore was lucky again: Renault bought the team from Benetton and returned Flavio to his previous position, in which our hero’s HR farsightedness was monetized in a new way, quickly and effectively. Seeing a future champion in the Asturian teenager Fernando Alonso, Briatore took him under his wing, made him a test driver for Renault, and then replaced him with Jenson Button. The result is the second pair of titles (2004 and 2005) on the personal account.

2003

And this expression on Flavio’s face happens in Brazil

Well, success with two champion teams is already serious proof of the player’s class; after all, this is the reason why many prefer Cristiano to Lionel. Be that as it may, by the time of the triumphs with Renault and Alonso Briatore had already managed to diversify his business and media portfolio: back in 1998 he founded the Billionaire Couture brand, began opening nightclubs and restaurants, investing in medicines and meeting supermodels. In September 2007, in partnership with Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone and Indian tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, Don Flavio acquired the Queens Park Rangers club, which was experiencing significant financial difficulties at that time. A big fan of Hitler (“he knew how to get his way”) and women (“they should wear white, like other household utensils”), Bernie Ecclestone is the second, after Benetton, indisputable authority in Briatore’s life, and also, to put it mildly, a personality colorful. However, they failed to make a good splash in football: after another scandal, Briatore was accused of not complying with the “English club owner code.” football league", after which QPR was quickly resold to AirAsia owner Tony Fernandez.

And this is what happened. Yes, actually, nothing new happened; Don Flavio just couldn’t hold back again! The old rogue is better than the new two, so Briatore showed his true self to those who preferred to forget about where it was hiding. It was revealed that during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Flavio ordered one of his drivers, Nelson Piquet Jr. (the son of F1's greatest champion Nelson Piquet, which makes the story even more disgusting), to fake a crash in order to help Alonso win the race. The investigation lasted a year, after which Renault was accused of conspiracy to rig the result of the competition. To save the team, Briatore and chief engineer Pat Simmonds were kicked out, and Don Flavio's career as a motorsport tycoon sank into oblivion.

The word "reputation" in Briatore's case does not make the slightest sense.

Briatore himself, however, was almost unharmed. The word “reputation” in his case does not have the slightest meaning, and, as we know, he loves racing only for the money. And in general he believes that this is entertainment for nerds, which lacks Hollywood glitz: “The cars don’t roar like they used to, this is not the sport of gladiators, this is the sport of accountants,” complained 64-year-old Don Flavio last year. But in the world of capital without borders, there is more than just motorsports, so the good organizer Briatore will always have something to do. He recently acquired a must-have accessory for his circle - a yacht, which, however, was immediately arrested during the investigation of another tax scam (“The owner of a yacht is happy twice – on the day he bought it, and on the day he sold it,” he commented philosophically Flavio). But Billionaire is thriving: it seems like everyone has written about the brand’s main hit – jeans with gold buttons (and Jenson Button has nothing to do with it). Well, there will always be buyers for such couture. In any case, while the myth of Flavio Briatore is alive and until the opera buffa, in which he happily plays the main role, ends.

FEMINS FLAVIO

Naomi Campbell

Briatore became, by conservative estimates, the fifth media boyfriend of the main supermodel of all time - after Mike Tyson, Robert De Niro, Adam Clayton and Joaquin Cortez. Their romance continued intermittently from 1998 to 2003. Of course, they remained friends - Briatore is friends with all his ex-girlfriends. Naomi, in turn, solemnly calls Don Flavio her mentor.

Flavio Briatore was born on April 12, 1950 in the small town of Verzuolo near the Alpine mountains in Italy. He graduated from the Institute. Facino de Busca, received his education as a surveyor. At first, he taught tourists riding skills. alpine skiing in the Alps, after which he decided to found his own restaurant, which he called Tribula. After a very short period of time, Flavio Briatore becomes a famous restaurant manager and soon restaurant magnate Attilio Dutto begins to be listed among his partners. However, their cooperation did not last long, Dutto is killed by planting a bomb in his car, after this event Briatore moves to Milan, where he begins to play on the stock exchange, it is there that he meets Luciano Benetton. His acquaintance with Benetton prompted him to become a manager at the Benetton company in the USA; while working there as a manager, he managed a chain of clothing stores.

In 1985, the Benetton family made a major purchase, it acquired the Toleman Formula 1 team, which later was renamed Benetton, but they didn’t stop at changing the name, they also changed the entire management. Flavio Briatore became the team director in 1988.

Flavio Briatore actively took up the development of the team, he began to attract new people. John Barnard was appointed to the position of technical director of the team, but his directorship did not last long because the speed of the cars did not satisfy the Italian; Barnard was replaced by Tom Walkinshaw, and after him was Ross Brawn. Flavio Briatore even lured the then unknown but promising Michael Schumacher from the Jordan team. It was a great choice: Schumacher started winning races almost immediately, and in 1994 and 1995 he became world champion. Flavio Briatore buys Johnny Herbert's contract from the dying Lotus team, or rather his contract, which in 1995 allows him and his Benetton team to win the Constructors' Championship.

Schumacher and Brown moved to the Ferrari team in 1996, but Benetton is not left without drivers, it gets Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger instead. With this composition, the team wins several more victories, but already in 1997, Briatore begins to conflict with Jean Alesi, and the Frenchman leaves the team. Angered by this move by Flavio Briator, the Benetton family fires him and takes control into their own hands, without involving any outsiders.

Flavio did not want to leave his developments in the Formula 1 business. In 1998, the Renault concern stopped supplying Formula 1 engines, but its competitor Renault V10, which won the championships in 1995, 1996 and 1997, remained competitive. Flavio founded the Supertec company and, collaborating with the Mecachrome plant, continued to supply Renault V10 to Formula 1 teams for another three years. The most interesting thing is that the list of his clients also included his former team from Benetton.

The Supertek engines were not very powerful, and the reliability of these engines was also poor, and compared to the Mercedes, Ferrari and Mugen-Honda, they looked very old. But their low cost and generally acceptable speed performance gave them the opportunity to be popular among middling teams. If we evaluate the 1999 season, more than a third of the teams that took to the start of the Grand Prix were equipped with engines produced by Flavio Briatore.

In 2001, the fate of the Benetton team began to be decided, and the Renault concern, together with the Benetton family, decided to sell the Benetton team, which was in a severe crisis. And, despite the racing season having already begun, French automakers appoint Flavio Briatore as team director.

Flavio Briatore instantly makes a statement that he intends to win the World Championship. His main bet was Jarno Trulli, Flavio acted as the manager of this young driver, and the young test driver Fernando Alonso. However, Briatore's hopes are not justified; Trulli leaves the team in 2004, after his departure Alonso becomes the main and first driver of the team. Under the strict leadership of Briatore, Renault won the Constructors' Championship in 2005 and 2006, and Fernardo received his championship title.

Briatore, in addition to his pilots, was also the personal manager of Mark Webber and Heikki Kovalainen, he attracted them to his team after Alonso
moved to the McClaren team.

However, Flavio Briatore is known not only for his successes on the race tracks - he is a regular client of the Italian tabloids, because everyone was interesting, his scandalous romances with top models. He is labeled as the ex-lover of model Naomi Campbell; the breakup with her turned out to be very loud. And from model Heidi Klum, Briatore even has a child - this is his daughter, whose name is Leni.