Nico Rosberg has done an absolutely brilliant interview with Flavio Briatore for his YouTube channel (Timestamps below)

As you would expect from Flavio, he opens his mouth and gold nuggets tumble out.

If you have any interest in business or F1, this interview is an absolute must see

2:43 Introduction to Flavio

3:56 Starting in F1, how you found Michael

4:50 Working with Benneton in the USA

5:20 Toleman

6:09 Owning 70 shops in the USA

6:48 Moving to the UK to fix Toleman

7:59 Meeting Peter Collins

8:34 F1 is nothing to do with the car

9:08 Bernie calling Flavio to help his friend

10:20 The drivers and finding a driver, Nelson Piquet

11:41 Benneton a t-shirt maker, hard to attract drivers

12:13 Only one guy I couldn’t stand next to in F1

12:30 Talking to Ayrton

13:15 Taking John Barnard to every sponsor meeting

13:40 First time getting involved in a fashion magazine. Fornt page of Vogue with Naomi Campbell. Expand reach of F1 team beyond Autosport. All changed.

14:40 Finding the best drivers, the list

15:20 Signing Schumacher, calling Willi Weber after Spa qualifying

16:30 Big drama with Eddie Jordan. Deal with Jordan expired because Schumacher did not bring sponsorship by Wednesday night. Injunction with Monza pit sealed by authorities. Getting Moreno to give up his seat for Schumacher. Fight Piquet because both were Brazilian. Zanardi was test driver

18:38 Mechanics tell Flavio what a good driver Schumacher is. Flavio in F1 for only 3 years knew he was good, these guys 20+, weren’t sure before. “I didn’t catch it” ie it was obvious he was good before he came to F1, maybe if you are in F1 too long, you stop seeing the obvious, you catch something

18:54 Ayrton was against Briatore. Benneton did not have the money to pay

19:50 Riccardo Patrese. Telling designers, make an honest car

20:30 T-shirt maker beating the F1 teams

21:20 Schumacher incredible motivator, what made him special?

22:10 Building a gym in the factory

22:55 Schumacher never ever complained about the car

23:35 Your relationship with Michael

25:10 People weren’t sure about Michael

25:56 Fernando Alonso, same movie, different actor, same director

25:58 Taking over Renault factory and engine

26:30 Talking to Honda in Japan

27:oo Rocco Benneton tries to buy out Briatore

27:43 Phone call from Frank Williams about Honda engines

28:10 Luciano Benneton calledFlavio Briatore regarding Supertec, Flavio’s company was distributing engines. Flavio/Supertec supply Williams and BAR

29.38 Renault rebuys Supertec from Flavio Briatore. Jean Jackis fired. Mr Schwartzer calls to say Renault wants to return with F1 with Flavio

31:30 Renault bought Benneton and built new factory

31:55 Alonso already signed toFlavio Briatore, choice driver for Renault

32:20 Flavio buys Minardi out of Bankruptcy and sells to Rumi for profit

33:29 Changing Button to Alonso

34:30 First test at Pembrey with Alonso

35:15 Fisichella vs Button

36:00 Takes Fisichella from Eddie Jordan. Jordan got paid 1.5 million every time Fisichella drove a Jordan

36:50 How do you manage a team and manage the driver in the same negotiation?

38:10 Telefonica bonus discussions for Alonso

38:50 GP2 make everybody honest

39:49 Alonso’s biggest strengths. Alonso less emotional than Schumacher

42:00 Why does Alonso have problems at McLaren

44:00 Redbull manages drivers the best

44:35 Speaking with Alonso in Brazil. Schumacher wanted slicks, Falvio said to Alonso, slicks

47:00 Winning the championship with Ford, next year Renault engines

48:00 Bought Ligier to get Renault engines and brought Honda to Ligier. Panis win Monaco

49:00 Telling Ligier not to stop Panis for fuel

51:40 Why was Renault blue and not yellow?

53:00 What should F1 do?

56:00 Have you thought about taking over F1?

56:35 Whatever we had in F1, road cars had it 10 years earlier

58:oo The 2018 Ferrari is quicker. Vettel throwing away points, not the right mentality to win championships

1:00:30 Ferrari make a lot of strategy mistakes

1:02:30 Why is racing so stressful for drivers

1:05:15 In Australia after winning the championship with Michael

1:06:00 You made the most money in F1 after Bernie? What is your best deal?

1:07:50 Buying the Formula 1 TV rights for Spain

1:11:30 Schumacher disqualification in Hockenheim, completely mad

1:13:50 Hospitality business, 1000 employees

1:15:00 Being top 3 business in the world for anything

1:17:00 How to motivate your employees? Shares to the employees?

1:25:00 How do you make money in the restaurant industry? Rent 6-7%, labour under 20-22%, food costs 18-19%, you have these figures you make money and it works whatever turnover you are doing. Monte Carlo maybe a bad example because tax is nothing. After 1 am you don’t recognise the place

1:27:30 You need to talk with the competition

1:28:00 Press conference in China speaking with Ron Denis about sponsorship

1:28:50 Flavio Briatore on social media

1:30:00 Finding employees through Instagram

1:32:48 What motivates you?

1:38:29 How has your son changed your life? More important than wife, son is for life, wife, who knows?

1:39:27 Kidney cancer and the Mayo Clinic

1:44:20 What is the secret to getting the most beautiful girls? Look for someone to challenge you

1:47:40 How to talk to children

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