{"id":378344,"date":"2025-08-27T18:58:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T18:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/378344\/"},"modified":"2025-08-27T18:58:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T18:58:11","slug":"alpine-boss-flavio-briatore-genuinely-interested-in-replacing-franco-colapinto-with-racing-phenomenon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/378344\/","title":{"rendered":"Alpine boss Flavio Briatore \u2018genuinely interested\u2019 in replacing Franco Colapinto with racing \u2018phenomenon\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are a handful of drivers who know they need to impress after the summer break, and one of them is Franco Colapinto.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alpine<\/a> decided after just six Grand Prix weekends this season that a change was needed, with Jack Doohan<\/a> failing to score a point alongside Pierre Gasly<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Australian was unlucky in Bahrain, but his huge crash in free practice at Suzuka may unfortunately be his lasting memory in Formula 1.<\/p>\n

After being signed on loan from Williams over the winter break, Flavio Briatore<\/a> handed Franco Colapinto<\/a> his chance at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.<\/p>\n\nPosition<\/td>\nConstructors’ Standings<\/td>\nPointsPts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1<\/td>\n <\/td>\n559<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2<\/td>\n <\/td>\n260<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n3<\/td>\n <\/td>\n236<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n4<\/td>\n <\/td>\n194<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n5<\/td>\n <\/td>\n70<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n6<\/td>\n <\/td>\n52<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n7<\/td>\n <\/td>\n51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n8<\/td>\n <\/td>\n45<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n9<\/td>\n <\/td>\n35<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n10<\/td>\n <\/td>\n20<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

He found the barriers in qualifying, and although David Coulthard saw positives from Colapinto\u2019s Alpine debut<\/a>, he\u2019s also yet to get off the mark in the drivers\u2019 championship<\/a> this season.<\/p>\n

There are already suggestions that Alpine have decided to drop Colapinto ahead of the 2026 season<\/a>, with the Argentine still on a rolling contract.<\/p>\n

However, a leading candidate hasn\u2019t emerged yet after Alpine were turned down by Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez<\/a>, who both decided to sign for Cadillac, but a new driver has now taken Briatore\u2019s interest.<\/p>\n

READ MORE<\/strong>: Who is Alpine\u2019s F1 executive adviser Flavio Briatore? Everything to know<\/a><\/p>\n

\"AlexPhoto by Michael Allio\/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesFlavio Briatore \u2018genuinely interested\u2019 in signing Alex Palou to replace Franco Colapinto at Alpine<\/p>\n

A report from F1 Insider<\/a> has shared more details about the future of IndyCar star Alex Palou<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Palou emerged as a surprise candidate for Red Bull<\/a>, with the future of Yuki Tsunoda for next season still up in the air.<\/p>\n

Suggestions that a deal could be done between the two parties have been dismissed, but Alpine have suddenly entered the conversation.<\/p>\n

The report suggests that Briatore is \u2018genuinely interested\u2019 in hiring Palou for Alpine next season as he assesses which drivers are available to replace Colapinto.<\/p>\n

Another connection exists between Palou and Briatore, and that\u2019s Fernando Alonso<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Alonso has worked closely with Palou in the past, and his relationship with Briatore could prove useful if any negotiations take place.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s believed that Palou isn\u2019t particularly convinced by a move to Formula 1 at this stage, but Alpine\u2019s upcoming deal with Mercedes to use their power units from 2026 might prove useful.<\/p>\n

Considering the French outfit are currently bottom of the constructors\u2019 championship<\/a>, anything to give Palou more hope that they will improve next year will be very beneficial.<\/p>\n

READ MORE<\/strong>: Who is Alpine 2025 F1 driver Franco Colapinto? Everything you need to know<\/a><\/p>\n

Fernando Alonso believes Alex Palou is a racing \u2018phenomenon\u2019<\/p>\n

Palou is now a four-time IndyCar champion and while the challenge of racing in Formula 1 might appeal to him, establishing his legacy in that series may be equally enticing.<\/p>\n

Speaking before his first IndyCar triumph in 2021, via Planet F1<\/a>, Alonso said of his fellow Spaniard: \u201cOf course, I follow him, and the truth is that he is a phenomenon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year I see him becoming champion because he is the most consistent, the best, and I am very happy because having a young Spaniard who is succeeding in IndyCar, I think, is good for everyone and opens eyes a little bit to new generations, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\nTEAM<\/strong><\/td>\nDRIVER 1<\/strong><\/td>\nDRIVER 2<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nAlpine<\/td>\nPierre Gasly<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nAston Martin<\/td>\nFernando Alonso<\/td>\nLance Stroll<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nAudi<\/td>\nGabriel Bortoleto<\/td>\nNico Hulkenberg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nCadillac<\/td>\nValtteri Bottas<\/td>\nSergio Perez<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nFerrari<\/td>\nCharles Leclerc<\/td>\nLewis Hamilton<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nHaas<\/td>\nEsteban Ocon<\/td>\nOliver Bearman<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nMcLaren<\/td>\nLando Norris<\/td>\nOscar Piastri<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nMercedes<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nRacing Bulls<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nRed Bull Racing<\/td>\nMax Verstappen<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nWilliams<\/td>\nAlex Albon<\/td>\nCarlos Sainz<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

2026 confirmed F1 drivers<\/p>\n

The driver market<\/a> still has the potential to produce a few twists and turns over the coming months, but most moves appear to be set in stone.<\/p>\n

Mercedes should continue with George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and Red Bull are more than likely to fill their three vacant seats with drivers already on their roster.<\/p>\n

However, Alpine could spring a potential surprise, and if Colapinto goes, Palou would certainly represent that shock.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There are a handful of drivers who know they need to impress after the summer break, and one…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":378345,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4103],"tags":[72985,4289,4199,42188,707,101951,4200,4292,79,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-378344","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-f1","8":"tag-alex-palou","9":"tag-alpine","10":"tag-f1","11":"tag-flavio-briatore","12":"tag-formula-1","13":"tag-formula-1-driver-market","14":"tag-formula1","15":"tag-franco-colapinto","16":"tag-sports","17":"tag-uk","18":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115102266461488298","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=378344"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378344\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/378345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=378344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=378344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=378344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}