Alpine boss, Flavio Briatore doesn't understand why the team isn't winning races despite "having everything in place" to do so.

While the historic decision to drop Renault and partner with Mercedes has paid off, Alpine isn't enjoying the step forward it had hoped for.

Though well clear of strugglers Haas, newcomers Audi and the rest, it clearly has a fight on its hands in terms of Racing Bulls, not to mention the big guns.

Recruited by former Renault CEO, Luca de Meo, in the wake of the various issues that were making the Enstone outfit a laughing stock, Briatore was brought back into the fold to put the team on a firm footing.

In many ways he has done this, but there is still a long, long way to go, which is extremely frustrating for the man who oversaw four drivers' titles and three constructors' with Benetton and Renault.

Talking to The Race, the Italian admits to being baffled that Alpine isn't challenging for wins.

"We have everything to win," he says. "Because, you know, the agreement we've done with Mercedes is a super agreement, because we picked up the right partner. And we're investing in CapEx a lot of money in the factory.

"We have everything," he insists. "We need to put the pieces together. To put the pieces together, you need to be a little bit more creative than what we are now, take more risk than what we take now.

"But I'm sure this team... I don't know why we're not winning. I don't know why we don't beat McLaren. I don't know why we don't beat Ferrari!

"We've done it before," he adds. "It's only a question to believe what you're doing, you know? It's a question to compete with these people."

Virtually exiled from the sport in the wake of Crash-gate, Briatore was brought back by de Meo in May 2024 as executive advisor, employed by the French manufacturer itself rather than Alpine.

Despite de Meo's insistence that Renault was not looking to sell its F1 team, Briatore returned to Enstone a hatchet man, significantly reducing the headcount and aggressively cutting spending.

Though unable to secure the requisite FIA licence to be appointed official team principal at Alpine, Briatore, who remains on Renault's payroll, is the de facto boss. He is also the man who made the controversial decision to drop Renault engines for Mercedes.

Much has changed in his two years at the helm, and while Alpine, which finished tenth last year with just 22 points, is currently sixth on 61 points, it clearly has a fight on its hands with the second Red Bull team.

"Surely, you need the first year," says the Italian. "This is the first year we have a little bit of the pieces together. Last year, I promised to Renault, next year we are in the first six. If we make it, maybe we are in the first five. But surely, the first six from P10 to P6 is already there. It is what I promised.

"My bonus is in the first six," he adds. "Anyway, at least I take the bonus. But it's..."

Asked about that bonus, he replies: "No, no, this year. This year, next year, plenty of bonus."

Like Williams, it is claimed that over the years the tenants of the Enstone facility had allowed things to slip, fallen behind in terms of equipment. However, pointing to Aston Martin as an example, Briatore insists that investing millions into a bright shiny factory isn't a cure all.

"I don't see what the other people have," he says. "Sure, maybe somebody has a better facility. But we see as well the example of Aston Martin, with the best facility in the world, and the best engineer in the world. It's not so competitive, you know? It's only a question of the people need to believe it's possible to win. Put all the effort.

"Maybe we have very good engineering here, but it's still in the bench. I think so," he continues. "Our technical director needs to be really, really looking. Now, we've done the first car all together. Now, all the technical part, we didn't understand who's good, who's bad, who's doing very good, very bad. But now we have a picture. Before, there was no picture, because there were so many changes. Now we have stability."

As a result of that, according to Briatore, the Enstone outfit is no longer the laughing stock of the paddock, the team that lost two star drivers, and a lot more besides.

"We now have people calling us to join the team, to join helping," he claims. "Before, everybody was taking opportunities, Cadillac, Aston Martin, et cetera, et cetera. Now, a lot of people want to come back.

"For the moment, no. I don't want anybody, the people left, to say a word. I don't care."