Briatore says Colapinto case is ’finished’

Flavio Briatore has confirmed he was furious with Franco Colapinto after the costly Baku crash, but says Alpine has now closed the matter internally and will impose no publicly disclosed consequences.

Colapinto said at Sepang that despite Briatore’s angry post-race statement, Alpine never seriously considered sidelining him.

Asked directly about consequences during the FIA team principals’ press conference, Briatore replied: "Whatever we do is internal to the team."

"Sure, I was very disappointed with what happened in Baku, but it’s another race. We need to forget."

"I was upset, yes, like I believe everybody in the team, including Franco, for the mistake he made. But this is the past."

Briatore stressed that the incident was particularly painful because Alpine is fighting Racing Bulls for fifth in the constructors’ championship. "We gave away a lot of points," said the Italian.

"After that, it’s finished."

Briatore also used the press conference to complain about the intense media scrutiny surrounding teams - particularly Ferrari and Frederic Vasseur.

"If you’re doing well, the media is very quiet," he said.

"The moment you’re doing bad, the media wake up and, ’Why? Boom, boom.’ We need the media because it’s our business."

"But sometimes we need more friendly media."

According to Bild newspaper, Briatore spent much of the FIA session conspicuously holding a sheet of paper - only for curious journalists to inspect it after he left it behind.

It was completely blank.