Flavio Briatore has always been one to speak his mind. The former Renault team principal, speaking during a broadcast on Radio 24 “Tutti convocati”, touched on the subject of Valentino Rossi while discussing Fernando Alonso.
“I think that Valentino has got older, as we all do, and has these young guys biting at his ankles. Valentino is a great champion and if he wasn't, I don't know how many people would be interested in the championship. In that championship Valentino is the director, the promoter, the producer, he's done it all. Valentino is still fighting, if I were him and saw that I was no longer competitive, I'd finish up the year and then stop. In Formula 1 it's different, but with bikes your reflexes come under incredible stress. He was the best and is still the best, he's done it all, been director and producer”.