Cadillac signing Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas for their F1 debut in 2026 has made Flavio Briatore pivot, as Alpine explore possible targets to replace Franco Colapinto.
The Enstone natives are actively studying the F1 driver market, as Colapinto has struggled to show himself to be a clear upgrade on Jack Doohan since Briatore rotated Alpine’s line-up in May. Colapinto is yet to earn a single point for Alpine after 10 Grands Prix and one F1 Sprint.
Bottas and Perez both emerged as potential replacements for Colapinto earlier this term, as Briatore quickly sought to identify a likely successor. But Cadillac beat Alpine to the punch in August, as the General Motors crew signed the veteran racers to two-year deals from 2026.
Alpine had held talks with Perez and Bottas in Briatore’s quest to find the best teammate for Pierre Gasly next year. Colapinto is on a race-by-race contract after surviving an initial five-round deal. The Argentine is now fighting for his future not only at Alpine, but in Formula 1.
Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty ImagesFlavio Briatore holds talks with Zhou Guanyu about replacing Franco Colapinto at Alpine
It is thought that Colapinto’s sponsors paying Alpine £15m is the only reason the 22-year-old still has a seat. Yet Briatore is expected to axe the Buenos Aires native at the end of the 2025 F1 season. So, the Italian is finding alternative targets after Cadillac signed Bottas and Perez.
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TEAMDRIVER 1DRIVER 2AlpinePierre GaslyN/AAston MartinFernando AlonsoLance StrollAudiGabriel BortoletoNico HulkenbergCadillacValtteri BottasSergio PerezFerrariCharles LeclercLewis HamiltonHaasEsteban OconOliver BearmanMcLarenLando NorrisOscar PiastriMercedesN/AN/ARacing BullsN/AN/ARed Bull RacingMax VerstappenN/AWilliamsAlex AlbonCarlos Sainz2026 confirmed F1 drivers
And Autosport Web now reports that Briatore has held talks with Zhou Guanyu about taking Colapinto’s seat at Alpine on the 2026 F1 grid. The 26-year-old is currently a reserve driver at Ferrari but wants to return to F1 after Audi opted against extending his contract at Sauber.
Zhou has zero interest in racing in another series while he strives to return to Formula 1 after one year away. The Chinese driver’s name has also emerged on Briatore’s radar as Alpine are in talks with Geely about the Chinese automotive giant investing in the Renault-owned team.
Geely, which has an enterprise value of £187.5bn, is exploring investing in a Formula 1 team and has held lengthy negotiations with Alpine already. The Hangzhou-based manufacturer’s interest has helped Shanghai native Zhou’s position as a possible replacement for Colapinto.
But Zhou is only one of several names on Briatore’s shortlist, with Alpine holding an interest in McLaren junior Alex Dunne possibly replacing Colapinto. Also, Autosport Web claims that Briatore is actively open to holding talks with Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich.
Franco Colapinto contributed to Zhou Guanyu losing his seat on the 2025 F1 grid at Sauber
Photo by Kym Illman/Getty Images
It would be a somewhat unusual turn of events were Zhou to replace Colapinto at Alpine in the 2026 season. Colapinto’s impact at Williams threatened Zhou’s future last year, as Audi saw the Argentine’s immediate results as a potential reason to drop the Chinese racer early.
READ MORE: Who is Alpine 2025 F1 driver Franco Colapinto? Everything you need to know
CATEGORYZHOU GUANYUFRANCO COLAPINTOGrand Prix (starts)68 (68)19 (18)Points165Points per race0.240.28Points per season5.332.50Best resultP8 (2022 Canada, 2024 Qatar)P8 (2024 Azerbaijan)Best qualifyingP5 (2023 Hungary)P9 (2024 Azerbaijan)Fastest lap20Retirements113F1 career Grand Prix stats of Zhou Guanyu vs Franco Colapinto
Williams promoted Colapinto from F2 to replace Logan Sargeant for the final nine rounds of 2024. The Argentine even earned points with P8 in Baku and P10 in Austin. Zhou ultimately saw out 2024 and scored Sauber’s only points all season with his P8 in the Qatar Grand Prix.
Zhou joined Ferrari as a reserve driver in 2025 after Audi decided not to give the 26-year-old a new contract to stay at Sauber. But his aim has always been to get a race seat on the 2026 F1 grid, which may now be at Alpine after missing out on leading Cadillac’s Formula 1 debut.
The F1 paddock expected Cadillac to sign Zhou for their debut driver line-up in 2026, but the General Motors brand ultimately decided to sign Bottas and Perez instead. Zhou scored only 16 points across his 68 Grand Prix starts, of which he retired from 11 over his three seasons.