Franco Colapinto is clinging on to his seat on the Formula 1 grid after a disappointing run since Alpine replaced Jack Doohan, but Valtteri Bottas is not primed to take over.
The Argentine is under serious pressure to deliver in the coming rounds and convince Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore that he should at the very least see out the 2025 F1 season. Colapinto currently only has a race-by-race contract after surviving an initial five-round deal.
Briatore has not guaranteed the 22-year-old a long-term position in the Enstone team’s line-up, as he wants to use the rest of this term to identify the perfect teammate for Pierre Gasly next year. Colapinto also failed to score a single point through his first six outings for Alpine.
So, questions have even arisen about his immediate future, although Alpine intend to allow Colapinto until the summer break to prove his case. F1 travels to Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix where there will also be a Sprint on July 25-27, before the Hungarian GP on August 1-3.
Photo by Jayce Illman/Getty ImagesPaul Aron is now more likely than Valtteri Bottas to replace Franco Colapinto at Alpine
The previous round at Silverstone certainly did not help the Buenos Aires native’s cause, as Colapinto failed to start the British Grand Prix after burning out his clutch. It was the second time that he had burnt out a clutch, having done so in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
READ MORE: Who is Alpine 2025 F1 driver Franco Colapinto? Everything you need to know
F1 Oversteer also exclusively reported Mercedes are pushing for Bottas to replace Colapinto at Alpine, as team principal Toto Wolff senses a chance to secure the Finn a seat on the grid again. Bottas re-joined Mercedes as a reserve driver after leaving Sauber at the end of 2024.
But GPblog now reports that Alpine have ‘squashed’ any suggestions that Bottas will replace Colapinto during the 2025 F1 season. While Briatore has held talks with Mercedes about the 35-year-old’s situation, any swoop to sign the 10-time Grand Prix winner would be for 2026.
Instead, if Alpine do pull the plug on Colapinto, it is now more likely that the Renault-owned team would promote their other reserve, Paul Aron, to replace him over signing Bottas from Mercedes. For now, Colapinto also continues to have Alpine’s confidence to prove his place.
Some at Alpine wanted Paul Aron in the car before Franco Colapinto replaced Jack Doohan
Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Alpine would afford Aron his Formula 1 debut if Briatore decides to give the 21-year-old the chance to impress, having seen Colapinto struggle to justify taking over from Doohan so far. It would also mark his return to racing, as Aron is only acting as Alpine’s reserve this season.
READ MORE: Who is Alpine reserve driver Paul Aron? All to know from age to racing stats
Multiple members of Alpine’s workforce believe Aron is a better option than Colapinto, and some also believed the Estonian should have been in their car from the start of the 2025 F1 season instead of Doohan. Now, Aron is waiting for Colapinto to crumble to seal his chance.
Briatore called Aron ‘one of the best’ young drivers upon Alpine signing him last December, as well. He came third in the 2024 Formula 2 standings as a rookie, after also finishing third in F3 as a rookie in 2023. Yet Aron nearly saw Bottas jump him in the mix to oust Colapinto.
Despite Briatore’s interest, it is also said that Bottas would prefer to join Cadillac instead of Alpine as the incoming American outfit would represent a longer-term project for the Finn. Bottas is eager to see what Cadillac can offer ahead of the GM brand debuting next season.