Imagine your Formula 1 career hanging by a thread. That's precisely where Franco Colapinto found himself earlier this year. But a dramatic transformation, fueled by tough love and relentless dedication, has secured his place with Alpine for 2026. Flavio Briatore, Alpine's Executive Advisor, didn't mince words: Colapinto was "lost" upon arrival. But now, according to Briatore, he's a "different" driver – one who has demonstrably earned his seat. Let's dive into the story of this remarkable turnaround and Alpine's ambitious plans.
Speaking exclusively to F1.com, Briatore revealed that Colapinto successfully defended his position against fellow reserve driver Paul Aron to partner Pierre Gasly next season. Colapinto's journey with Alpine began in January, joining from Williams as a reserve driver with a multi-year contract. He was quickly thrust into a race seat, replacing Jack Doohan from the Imola Grand Prix onwards.
However, the initial results were far from impressive. Briatore openly expressed his disappointment, stating, "It was not what I expect from Colapinto," even suggesting that it might have been premature for him to be in Formula 1. Ouch! But here's where it gets controversial... Some might argue that throwing a young driver into the deep end without adequate support can be detrimental. Was Colapinto truly underperforming, or was he simply a victim of circumstance?
Fortunately, Colapinto didn's let this criticism crush him. He dug deep, and his performance steadily improved. In fact, he achieved a 3-3 tie with Gasly in head-to-head qualifying battles. In recent races, he's shown remarkable competitiveness, holding his own against his race-winning teammate. And this is the part most people miss: Colapinto's progress coincided with a decline in Alpine's car performance. So, his achievements are even more impressive when you consider the limitations he faced.
Briatore explained the pressures young drivers face in Formula 1: "What's difficult for all these young kids is that they are arriving in this environment of Formula 1 with a lot of pressure from sponsors, the team, etc." He elaborated on Colapinto's initial struggles: "Unfortunately, we have a not so performant car. It's difficult to drive. I believe in the beginning Franco was a little bit lost and he needed three or four races to be much better." He emphasized the transformation he witnessed: "If you see Franco in the beginning when he started racing with us and you see him now, he's a different person. He's much more secure, has much more commitment with engineering and he's done everything to be performing. He spends a lot of time to understand better the car... In the last two or three races, the performance of the team is still no good at all, but the performance of Franco was very good."
Briatore, known for his straightforward approach, admitted he challenged Colapinto to elevate his game after a lackluster start. He expressed his surprise at Colapinto's positive response, which ultimately validated his faith in the young driver. "The relationship with Pierre is very good," Briatore noted, highlighting the improved team dynamic. "We now have two drivers; we're working with two drivers. Franco feels like he's part of the team. He's one of the two drivers of Alpine... Before, we had one driver and everything was on the shoulders of Pierre. Now we have split the weight. It's on the shoulders of Pierre and Franco. Franco is managing well."
He further elaborated on Colapinto's growth: "I have spent a lot of time with Franco and I have seen a change in him, the maturity in the last few months has changed completely. He's talking with me like a different guy, with more responsibility... He understands what he is doing with the team, with the engineering. He has really surprised me. In the beginning, I had a lot of people in the team who were not convinced about Franco's performance... I kept going with Franco and now everyone believes Franco is fantastic for us and is the right team mate for Pierre." Briatore also pointed out Colapinto's consistent performance relative to Gasly: "If you look at the last races, touch wood, there have been no accidents and he's been driving very well. He's been very close – two tenths up, two tenths down to Pierre – and I consider Pierre one of the best drivers in Formula 1, I think he's one of the top six drivers in Formula 1... My job is to deliver the right car for Pierre and Franco next year."
Alpine's decision-making process was also influenced by the limited availability of alternative drivers for 2026. With most seats already secured, their options were constrained. The team's current performance, languishing at the bottom of the Teams' Championship, hasn't made them a particularly attractive destination for top talent. They secured Gasly with a long-term deal until at least the end of 2028 and then focused on solidifying their second driver.
While Colapinto's financial backing from Argentina, including Mercado Libre, undoubtedly played a role, his improved performance was crucial in securing his extension over Paul Aron. Briatore explained: "We had not so many choices to change driver, to have a different driver... If you look at the panorama of the drivers, we have Aron. He's very nice but he's still very young, he still has another one year or two of experience in testing as reserve driver... We didn't see anything much better than what Franco is bringing to the team or what Pierre is bringing the team. Our partnership is super for next year and I promise you, our car will be much better than where we are right now."
Maintaining the same driver lineup provides much-needed stability for a team that has undergone significant changes in recent years. Briatore's return to Enstone aimed to stabilize the operation, especially with Renault ceasing Power Unit production at the end of 2025 and Alpine switching to Mercedes customer power. Key personnel changes, including Esteban Ocon's departure, Oli Oakes' exit as Team Principal, and Luca de Meo's abrupt departure as Renault CEO, further highlight the team's instability.
Briatore aims to bring calm to the team, focusing on the sweeping new regulations in 2026 to propel them back up the grid. "Alpine in the last few years has had no stability," Briatore stated. "Now we need to keep stability. The team is growing, a lot of new engineers are arriving... We have hired a very good group of engineers and now little by little they are starting to arrive because, with gardening leave, it's typically six months... We are setting the team for next season. We will have a great Mercedes engine and gearbox. I'm sure next season will be good for the team and we give our drivers the right car to compete. We are doing the best possible and my target is to be in P6 [next year]." So, can Alpine realistically achieve P6 in 2026? Was Briatore too harsh on Colapinto initially? And what impact will the switch to Mercedes power have on the team's performance? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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