Flavio Briatore | FerrariChat

Flavio Briatore

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by Westworld, Jul 19, 2005.

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  1. Westworld

    Westworld Three Time F1 World Champ
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    One of the more interesting people in F1, how good is he in terms of his director? Is he responsible for the turnarounds, or is it a combination of money being invested? How good of a businessmen is he? It sounds like he is Europe's version of Donald Trump in terms of his lifestyle and social life? Is this true?
     
  2. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    He was thrown into the US market by Benetton to start a nationwide distribution platform for the Benetton line of clothes. He jump started this endeavour all by himself and succeeded. Thereafter Benetton bought its own F1 team (I believe from Ligier). They put Flavio in charge who had never run a racing team. He organized the team, snatched Michael Schumacher from newbie Eddie Jordan and lead the Benetton team to two F1 titles. Then he did other things, Benetton became eventually Renault and Renault's bosses called Flavio back to run their team, which now is on the best way to win Renault's first ever world championship.

    The guy might be a prick, flamboyant and other things, but he sure is successful in his business.
     
  3. Nuvolari

    Nuvolari F1 Veteran
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    Dead on assesment with the only detail change being that Benetton purchased the Toleman team and re-named it. There are some members on Renault that are still original Toleman people. That aside, it is fair to say that any success that that team ever experienced was when Flavio was at the helm. In truth I kinda like Flavio. No BS and you know where you stand with him.
     
  4. ClassicFerrari

    ClassicFerrari F1 World Champ
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    And he gets good tail ;)
     
  5. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Oops, my bad. Liger became Prost. All the more amazing that he was able to turn the Toleman team into a championship winning Benetton team. Ligier at least once was successful, Toleman never (not counting Senna's Monaco stint, which was more about the driver in wet conditions than the car or team).
     
  6. rcallahan

    rcallahan F1 Rookie
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    I know a girl here in Santa Barbara that dated Flavio when she had a shop in Chicago (he was selling clothes). :)
     
  7. speedy_sam

    speedy_sam F1 Veteran

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    Flavio is certainly a shrewd businessman. Tifosi12's assessment is perfect.

    I don't think he is a very hands on kinda guy at all - he doesnt have the technical background for it. But he is aware of this and hires good people to handle such areas. His management skills are exceptional!

    But he is quite mercurial - you are on his good side or not - particularly with the drivers. But for the rest of the team personnel he keeps them happy.
     
  8. imperial83

    imperial83 F1 Rookie
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    You are dead right! In fact the Benetton's retail performance in the USA has struggled ever since Flavio left for the F1 team.
     
  9. dretceterini

    dretceterini F1 Veteran

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    I agree. He is very direct and blunt...an either love him or hate him kind of guy...but no BS...
     
  10. Westworld

    Westworld Three Time F1 World Champ
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    I've never even heard of Bennetton outside of F1.

    Doing some more research, I see he has his own website. Has a insanely expensive nightclub in Sardinia (Italy)-I take it that it's the "Hamptons of Europe"?, and lots of toys (yatch, five homes, private jet, ect). What is he projected to be worth? And now, he just launch his own clothing line.
     
  11. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Sardinia isn't quite the Hamptons, yet then again many of the Mediterranean islands are the Hamptons in and out of season. The "scene" kinda shifts around.
     
  12. ClassicFerrari

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    His worth is huge! I dont have my magazines around me so I can't tell you exactly.....but he is uber-rich. I love this guy. He has the style, the chicks, the homes and the toys and much more. And a very good business man for sure. A year or so ago F1 Magazine has a spread on him, what a life.

    Vasco
     
  13. Rennmaus

    Rennmaus Karting

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    Oh yes, he is all that ... and more....
    He is the father of Heidi Klums Baby, Leni....
    who is now married to SEAL.

    He is also the one who smokes Marlboro, conceiled in a Mild Seven Package, (since thats his sponsor!!)

    He's also the mafioso, frequently been seen with Naomi Campbell and many other cute Chicks!!!

    HE MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT........
     
  14. Westworld

    Westworld Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Would of great if he replace Trump on The Apprentice. Actually has good taste, and is a much better businessmen (in my view). I saw his net worth between $50-$100 million, but that seems low.

    Didn't he kinda turn his back on his baby with Klum, or does he actually step up?
     
  15. Westworld

    Westworld Three Time F1 World Champ
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    http://www.forbes.com/business/2005/07/19/billionaire-briatore-fashion-cx_cn_0719autofacescan03.html

    Briatore Brings Out Billionaire-Wear
    Chris Noon, 07.19.05, 10:57 AM ET

    Flavio Briatore





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    NEW YORK - All playboys are lustrously grizzled: Add a dash of continental gasconade and an unashamedly dated taste for opulence, and presto! You get Flavio Briatore.

    And they are normally silver of tongue as well as hair. Back in 1997, Briatore asked a restaurateur to create a nightclub called Billionaire in Sardinia. This is a place where dinner alone can set you back $15,000. Briatore reportedly explained he wanted "a place where, even if people weren't billionaires, they could spend like billionaires". One quiddity: Briatore isn't actually a billionaire himself--but we wouldn't be so cruel as to suggest he rename the establishment.

    Now comes the next piece of the billionaire lifestyle. Briatore is launching Billionaire Couture, a fashion line named after his nightclub. "I want people to be able to recognize a Billionaire Couture item immediately," said Angelo Galasso, who is designing the line with Briatore, in a media report. Translation: ostentatious wealth. There's talk of gold buttons on jeans, $500 shirts, and diamond and ruby-encrusted key chains.

    Briatore made many of his millions as director of casual clothing companyBennetton's (nyse: BNG - news - people ) American operations. But dressing billionaires or even billionaire wannabe's may prove more taxing than any of Briatore's turns on the Formula One racing circuit. Our review of the best-dressed billionaires has featured Forbes Celebrity 100chart-topper Oprah Winfrey and perma-unruffled Apple Computer (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people )chief Steve Jobs.
     
  16. imperial83

    imperial83 F1 Rookie
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    All the information you want regarding the Benetton retail group can be found here. They are a successful company.
    http://www.benetton.com/html/index.shtml

    http://www.benettongroup.com/en/home.htm

    But keep in mind Flavio is now an employee of Renault and not Benetton.
     
  17. Westworld

    Westworld Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Which is what I am always interested by. Hasn't he always been an employee of these companies (from running Benetton's US base)? How has he created his net worth so high (I don't know his exact net worth, but I am guessing it prolly challenges Schmi's?).
     
  18. imperial83

    imperial83 F1 Rookie
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    The simple way of explaining it is SHARE OF PERFORMANCE & PROFITS. Flavio has a huge net worth due to the bonuses and percentage of profit that was given to him by Benetton. As team boss he also recieves a huge bonus from Renault each time they win a race or score points. He will be given a huge check this year IF Renault win the World Championship this year. Benetton now trades on the NYSE under BNG. It is very possible that Flavio still has shares in Benetton that were given to him as performance bonuses.

    Also, Flavio's net worth comes no where close to Michael Schumacher's.
     
  19. Westworld

    Westworld Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Ok, thanks. That explains it.
     
  20. Senna1994

    Senna1994 F1 World Champ
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    All excellent points about Flavio, one area where he did get lucky was getting Schumacher. He actually wasn't the person that stole MS away from Jordan, it was actually Tom Walkinshaw who was a Director at Benetton F1 at the time. Eccelstone said in a recent article that Flavio didn't want the headache of a Lawsuit and problems with Roberto Moreno was the second driver to Nelson Piquet in 1991. Bernie and Tom actually handled the negotiations and MS became a Benetton driver.

    Got to love Flavio though, he is a character.
     
  21. Admiral Thrawn

    Admiral Thrawn F1 Rookie

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    According to the September 2003 F1 Racing article "Rich List", Flavio is the 9th wealthiest person in Formula 1, with a net worth of AUD $153.08 million.

    Most likely that figure would have risen substantially by now, so it's probably in the region of AUD $175 - $200 million.
     
  22. ClassicFerrari

    ClassicFerrari F1 World Champ
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    True. I also think his sum has and will go up big time. With all that money he has , it's funny when I read that part on his website where he talks about his new yacht. There are some points about how expensive things can get and how cheap he can be and blah blah blah. Too funny.

    Sounds like an awesome boat.

    Vasco
     
  23. speed130

    speed130 Karting

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    How big is his yacht? From the photo on his website, it looks to be the size of Rhode Island. Any ideas?

    Steve
     
  24. Westworld

    Westworld Three Time F1 World Champ
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    What's that in US Dollars?

    His Lion In the Sun Kenya home looks amazing. That had to cost quite a bit to build. Though, why Kenya?

    As for Flavio, if his newest venture into the clothing industry is a sucess, his net worth will sky-rocket. Plus, a championship this year will prolly boost that well.
     
  25. 505T

    505T Formula Junior

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    Why Kenya? Because Kenya rocks thats why!
     

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