Franco Colapinto has spent much of the 2025 season under immense pressure, with Alpine evaluating his future. Upon taking a full-time seat in Imola, Flavio Briatore set a series of clear targets for Colapinto..
Broadly speaking, these expectations were to score points, avoid incidents and match the performance of teammate Pierre Gasly.
Due to the A525’s limitations, top 10 results have essentially been off the table for both Alpine drivers in recent months. However, Colapinto has successfully hit the two other targets – putting a 2026 seat within his grasp.
Franco Colapinto of Argentina driving the (43) Alpine F1 A525. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
Colapinto turns the tide and establishes himself
Alpine were perhaps the team with fewest headlines surrounding them after last weekend’s Mexican GP.
The limitations of the A525 prevented Colapinto and Gasly from making an impression, resigned to fighting at the back of the field. This has become a relatively common trend for the Enstone team, who dedicated their attention to 2026 some time ago.
Of course, Alpine’s decision to prioritise next season does not excuse their poor performance. Others, like Williams, managed to stay competitive despite prioritising the new regulations from the start of the season.
In any case, Alpine have known for some time that 2025 would be a long season. Their main concern, in this context, has been finalising their decision on who will partner Pierre Gasly next year.
During Colapinto’s first few races with the team, speculation began to emerge about his future. This was primarily driven by Flavio Briatore’s comments, as the 75-year-old voiced his disapproval of the Argentine’s initial results.
Given that Colapinto was put into the seat mid-season, without any pre-season testing, expecting him to hit the ground running was a very high bar to set. Then again, Briatore is notorious for demanding results from his drivers at all times – irrespective of the context.
This meant there were genuine question marks about whether Alpine would make changes to their line-up for 2026.
Thankfully for Colapinto, his position at the team is understood to have been secured. The 22-year-old is performing at a very solid level, generally matching or even exceeding the efforts of Pierre Gasly in both short and long runs.
Whilst Alpine’s pace has been insufficient for this improvement to materialise into points, Briatore is satisfied with the progression of his younger driver.
Colapinto is expected to continue with the team in 2026 – an official announcement should come over the next few weeks.
Franco Colapinto of Argentina driving the (43) Alpine F1 A525. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
Alpine under pressure for a recovery in 2026
Instability has been the only constant at Alpine over the last eighteen months, with the team’s current position in the standings reflecting some of the volatility behind the scenes.
Multiple drivers, team principals and other senior personnel have come and gone through the doors of Enstone since 2023. For a team that were fourth-fastest just three seasons ago, falling to last in the Championship is nothing short of a disastrous downturn.
To some extent, speculation about Colapinto’s future has distracted from the more fundamental problem at Alpine.
Next season, however, a new set of regulations will mean there is nowhere to hide for Flavio Briatore’s personnel. Should the French outfit fail to take a step forward in 2026, greater doubts will emerge about their long-term trajectory.
Main photo: Photo by Sam Bagnall/Sutton Images (Alpine media gallery)