SEPTEMBER 9, 2025
Flavio Briatore has hinted that Franco Colapinto could yet remain at Alpine for 2026, despite a rocky campaign for the Argentine rookie.
Flavio Briatore, Pierre Gasly, Italian GP 2025
© Alpine
The 22-year-old, brought in mid-season as part of Briatore’s Alpine shake-up, has struggled for consistency since replacing Jack Doohan earlier this year.
Briatore, initially executive F1 advisor to the now-departed Renault CEO Luca de Meo, himself appeared to suggest last month that Colapinto had not shown enough to warrant a second season.
But speaking to Sky Italia at Monza, the 75-year-old sounded more optimistic.
It’s not decided yet, but at the moment I think Franco is doing a good job, Briatore said.
“He suffered a bit from his inexperience at the start, like many of the rookie drivers. In the last three or four races, he’s been much more consistent, without making any major mistakes.
Maybe it’ll be Franco, we’ll see. We have four or five more races to judge.
Pierre Gasly secured a contract extension through 2028 last weekend, leaving Briatore balancing his options for the second seat.
Alternatives are thin – Yuki Tsunoda is available but enduring a torrid season at Red Bull, while Alpine-linked rookies such as Paul Aron are on the radar but may represent a bigger risk than persisting with Colapinto.
Colapinto’s case is boosted by his earlier promise at Williams in late 2024, as well as the major Argentine sponsor interest he brings to Enstone.
Beyond driver decisions, Alpine’s season has been bleak. The French team sits last in the constructors’ championship, having halted development of the 2025 car very early on to focus on the sweeping new rules for 2026.
The current car is all we have available for our two drivers for the remaining races, given the focus on developing the car for 2026, Briatore admitted.
We know some more weekends will be difficult, but we are confident in the work being done behind the scenes – better days are ahead for the team.
(GMM)