MAY 4, 2016

Briatore rules out return to boring F1

Flavio Briatore has ruled out returning to formula one.

Flavio Briatore has ruled out returning to formula one.

The flamboyant Italian left F1 in disgrace amid the 'crashgate' scandal, but he is still close to Bernie Ecclestone and recently attended a meeting over the future of Monza's embattled race.

But he told Chi, an Italian gossip weekly: "The circuit is not a place for me anymore. Mine was a final goodbye.

"The 'show' of racing has gone to MotoGP," Briatore, who won world championships as boss of Benetton and Renault, said.

"F1 is much more advanced (than MotoGP) technologically-speaking, but it is boring and has moved away from the public."

Briatore, 66, said he has even given up on the idea of entering politics.

"Now it is just rumours. I thought about it," Briatore admitted, "but now I think of it no more."

Finally, Briatore responded to those who have seen recent photographs of him and concluded that he has obviously had plastic surgery.

"I said goodbye to my old image by going on a crash diet, but do I need to answer to or justify myself to anyone? I don't think so," he said.

(GMM)