Franco Colapinto is enduring a tough start to his F1 career at Alpine. The exciting young Argentinian debuted last season when Williams finally benched the hapless Logan Sargent with nine race weekends remaining.
Scoring points in two of his first outings for the Grove based team, Colapinto was all the talk of the F1 paddock with Red Bull even enquiring about his availability to replace the out going Sergio Perez. Yet unfortunately the Argentinian was unable to maintain his early form suffering huge crash in qualifying in Brazil which he followed up with another in the rain soaked Grand Prix.
Another big shunt in Las Vegas left the Williams team’s short of parts for the final triple header of the season meaning Franco had to drive during the Qatar Grand Prix weekend with a sub-optimal car. Even so on Sunday his race ended miserably as he was caught up in a turn one incident with Haas Nico Hulkenberg and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.
Colapinto struggling at Alpine
With another DNF at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Colapinto ended the year with a dismal three retirements in the last four Grand Prix of the year. He was recruited by Flavio Briatore from Williams on what was reported to be a long term loan basis. He replied Jack Doohan who was given the first six race weekends of 2025.
The Australian rookie failed to score for Alpine and his qualifying deficit to team mate Pierre gaily was a whopping 0.433 seconds on average. Colapinto has faired better than his predecessor and has finished ahead of his team mate on three occasions. His deficit to Gasly in qualifying is better too, by around a tenth of a second.
The Alpine driver has finished all seven races he has started for the team this year, but a crash in qualifying at the British Grand Prix and subsequent transmission issues, meant he failed to take to the grid registering a DNS.
Following last weekends Hungarian Grand Prix, a number of the teams and drivers remained in Budapest for a Pirelli two day tyre test. On Tuesday Alpine, McLaren and the Racing Bulls took part with the French owned team staying on for Wednesday and being joined by Ferrari.
Medical update from Alpine
Paul Aron was Alpine’s pilot on the first day, with Wednesday seeing the effort split between Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto. Yet towards the end of the morning session, Colapinto had a heavy shunt in the high speed turn 11 which finished the day for Alpine.
An Alpine statement read: “During Day 2 of Pirelli Tyre Testing at the Hungaroring this morning, Franco Colapinto had an incident at Turn 11. Franco was assessed on site at the medical centre and is OK.”
Yet the incident is another set back for the Argentinian, who is under threat of being replaced by Mercedes’ reserve driver Valtteri Bottas. On the announcement of Colapinto’s promotion alongside Gasly, team boss Flavio Briatore tasked the driver as follows. “He needs to be fast, not crash, and score points,” said the Italian. “I’m only asking him these three things — not 10. If he does them well, he’ll drive forever.”
“We need two cars [together] because it’s very tight [with] every team. We need two cars all the time. Let’s see,” concluded Briatore. Yet on his first qualifying outing in Imola, Franco took way to much kerb in turn 3 which spun him into the barriers with a hefty impact.
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Bottas discussed as Colapinto replacement
His best finish of the season was a P13 in Monaco, but on average Franco finishes just under four places behind his team mate, very similar to what Jack Doohan was achieving. Colapitno is the only current F1 driver without a point this year and his seat is at risk from Valtteri Bottas and even Paul Aron.
In Canada the Mercedes reserve driver confirmed that his boss Toto Wolff had been involved in a conversation with Briatore over Alpine potentially loaning the Finn to the end of the season. Bottas is expected to be announced as one of the two full time drivers for the new Cadillac team in 2026 along with a potential return for Mexican Sergio Perez.
During the British Grand Prix, Toto Wolff confirmed Bottas assertion saying of Briatore, “I saw him today and we talked about Valtteri. It seems that interest in Valtteri is growing even more. He deserves this seat. If someone chooses him as a racing driver, we’ll let him go. Of course, with a tear in the corner of the eye,” said the Mercedes’ boss.
Sky F1’s veteran pit lane reporter mused over the young Argentinian’s future in his latest version of ‘the notebook.’ “Franco Colapinto, it would surprise no one in Formula 1 if Franco Colapinto wasn’t being challenged significantly for his seat now. Both by the original occupier, Jack Doohan and potentially by Valtteri Bottas.”
Writing on the wall for Franco?
He went on to rue the fact that the Alpne driver is suffering a pointless season to date and that after being guaranteed five races when replacing Doohan, he is now employed on a race by race basis. “But I feel desperately sorry for Franco Colapinto. I know he can be faster than that, but he’s just not got any confidence in the car at the moment,” Kravitz concluded.
Whether Franco survives the summer break only time will tell, but Flavio Briatore is known for making assertive decisions and Alpine may well see its fourth driver this year after the summer break at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. Alpine are rooted to the bottom of the constructors’ championship with all 20 points scored by French driver Gasly.
With the team now focusing its resources on developing the 2026 F1 challenger which will be powered by Mercedes,’ it could be that with hope lost of improving their position, Alpine and Briatore tarry with Franco for a little longer.
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