Flavio Briatore is « not at all happy » with Franco Colapinto at Alpine
Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore admits he's « not at all happy » with Franco Colapinto after a difficult return to F1.
After the Miami Grand Prix, Jack Doohan was replaced by the Argentine at Alpine. Franco Colapinto has been part of the Alpine structure since the beginning of the year, as a reserve and test driver.
He had distinguished himself during his short stint at Williams last year when he replaced the American, Logan Sargeant.
Insufficient performances according to Briatore
However, since his return to F1 with Alpine, Franco Colapinto has struggled to impress. In particular, his boss, Flavio Briatore, known for his sometimes harsh decisions regarding drivers, admitted that he is not satisfied with Colapinto’s current level.
« If I said now that I was happy, it would be a lie. I am not happy at all. Now, we have to see how his season evolves », he confided to Sky Germany.
« Of course, it must also be acknowledged that Franco is very young and is under a lot of pressure, not just from Argentina. Little by little, he is starting to find his footing. Franco is quite solid. In this profession, you have to be able to regain your confidence as quickly as possible. I therefore hope that he succeeds in doing so quickly and gets back into the right rhythm. »
A pressure that Jack Doohan had experienced even before his debut in F1. Result: the Australian driver will only do six races, with his best performance being a 13th place in China, before being replaced last May.
Also read: Official: Colapinto replaces Doohan at Alpine for five races
The future of Colapinto at Alpine
When Franco Colapinto was announced as Jack Doohan’s replacement, Alpine specified that he only had a five-race contract. Since then, Flavio Briatore has contradicted this statement.
With Alpine at the back of the grid in 2025, awaiting the benefit of the Mercedes engine next year, the Italian admits that he can afford to experiment with his drivers.
« The races? I don’t know, honestly. I never talk about five races, three races, four, or just one. We’ll see. If Colapinto performs well, he will drive the car. If not, we’ll decide. », he says.
« 2025 is a transitional year for us, to properly prepare for 2026. So, we will undertake all necessary experiments. I don’t know yet if Franco will do the entire season or not, we will see. It will depend only on his performance – nothing else »
Alpine can also count on Paul Aron, a member of its junior program, while Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will be free in 2026.
