{"id":492241,"date":"2026-02-22T15:22:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T15:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/492241\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T15:22:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T15:22:09","slug":"how-key-f1-change-really-helped-franco-colapinto-ahead-of-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/492241\/","title":{"rendered":"How key F1 change ‘really helped’ Franco Colapinto ahead of 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Franco Colapinto has explained how one crucial difference compared to previous seasons has \u201creally helped\u201d him ahead of the 2026 Formula 1<\/a> campaign.<\/p>\n

The Argentinian was given the vote of confidence from Alpine<\/a> late last year to partner Pierre Gasly for this season, after completing 18 Grands Prix in 2025.<\/p>\n

Despite scoring no points after replacing Jack Doohan at the Enstone-based squad, Colapinto was able to get closer to Gasly in the latter part of the season.<\/p>\n

Rumours circulated about the 22-year-old\u2019s future for some time, before Alpine confirmed his continuation with the team in early November.<\/p>\n

Just days before he was announced as Gasly\u2019s team-mate for this year, Colapinto pointed out that, despite two stints in F1 across that year and the last \u2013 with Williams \u2013 he had never completed a pre-season testing programme before, and being afforded the chance to partake in one would enable him to be better prepared if given the full season.<\/p>\n

Speaking to media at the Bahrain International Circuit on Friday, Colapinto was asked by Motorsport Week if he felt that he was already feeling the benefit of his first pre-season.<\/p>\n

\"FrancoFranco Colapinto has revealed that being part of an F1 pre-season schedule has \u201creally helped\u201d. Image: Emma Kate Ridgway | EKR Photos<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it really helped, I think, to arrive to Race 1 with all this mileage, it is very helpful, at least,\u201d he replied, adding that he has already logged enough miles which are the equivalent to nearly half of the races he covered last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m much closer to what the other guys have been learning, and, of course, running,\u201d he continued. \u201cI think [it] is already like eight races in terms of mileage.\u00a0So it does help a lot.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s something I\u2019ve been missing last year and the year before. So it\u2019s a big step.\u00a0And, of course, it always helps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colapinto\u2019s fastest time of the week was a 1m33.818s, around four tenths short of Gasly\u2019s fastest, and logged six kilometres more than Gasly, with 968 laps in total, placing him 11th overall in terms of distance covered.<\/p>\n

READ MORE \u2013 Interview: How Arvid Lindblad ignored \u2018ifs and buts\u2019 to secure F1 seat
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