Franco Colapinto’s manager provides details about his contract with Alpine

Last week, Franco Colapinto was announced as a reserve and test driver at Alpine for the upcoming season. The Argentine could potentially move into a main driver position alongside Pierre Gasly at some point during the season, though this will depend on the performance of Jack Doohan. This was hinted at by Flavio Briatore.

**The remarkable performances of Franco Colapinto at Williams**, where he replaced Logan Sargeant mid-season, have sparked interest from numerous teams such as Alpine and Red Bull. However, **a complicated end to the season**, marked by several incidents and a high release clause, **has dampened this interest**.

Read also: Franco Colapinto, does he have a place in Formula 1?

A new role for Franco Colapinto at Alpine

After intensive negotiations with Alpine, an agreement was reached for Franco Colapinto to join Enstone as a test and reserve driver, starting from the 2025 season.

Speaking to the Argentine media outlet Infobae, Maria Catarineu, commercial director of Bullet Sports Management and manager of the 21-year-old driver, revealed that Flavio Briatore’s interest was very intense.

The negotiations took time because they are sometimes complex, as in this case. But Flavio has always been very persistent and, over the past few weeks, he was particularly intense, she said.

« The agreement was reached because both parties got what they wanted: Flavio was able to sign Franco, and [the Williams boss] James [Vowles] was able to offer him the opportunity to race, as at Williams, their main drivers are under long-term contracts. »

She added: « Briatore noticed Franco since his F1 debut. The day we talked for the first time, he told me: ‘I saw talent, and I want it.’ He followed all the races closely and observed his development as an F1 driver in the nine Grand Prix he participated in. »

A five-year contract

Maria Catarineu also revealed that Franco Colapinto’s contract with Alpine extends over five years, which is exceptionally long for a driver with only nine races to his name. « Williams has ceded Franco to Alpine for five years », she said.

« I understand that if another team is interested in Franco during this period, it would be a negotiation between Alpine and this other team. »

Although Alpine has confirmed that Jack Doohan will remain in the car to start the season, the Australian will be under enormous internal pressure.

Maria Catarineu refused to comment on the possibility of Franco Colapinto becoming a full-time driver at Alpine. “I will not say how I feel,” she concluded.