Flavio Briatore, the boss of Alpine, is keen on continuing to “experiment” with the team’s driver lineup due to Franco Colapinto’s ongoing difficulties. Colapinto recently filled in for Jack Doohan during the Imola race, where he was set three goals: to drive quickly, secure points, and avoid crashes. Unfortunately, his performance has been underwhelming—he has struggled for speed, failed to score any points, and crashed during qualifying in his debut.
Briatore hinted that Colapinto’s position could be precarious as the team aims to finalise its driver roster in light of upcoming changes to Formula 1’s aerodynamic and engine regulations set for 2026. The Alpine team leader stated, “We still need to wait to evaluate Franco Colapinto and first see how this race goes,” referencing their experiences in Barcelona.
Colapinto’s performance in previous races has been less than stellar. At Imola, he finished 16th, following a grid penalty, and at Monaco, he found himself at the bottom of the practice and qualifying times but managed to finish 13th in the race, matching Doohan’s best result from China.
In Spain, Colapinto struggled once again, finishing near the back in practice and qualifying. Briatore had previously suggested that Colapinto would have five races to demonstrate his abilities, but he has since backed off from making any definitive promises about how long Colapinto might remain in the car. Instead, he stated that the decision hinges on performance, highlighting, “If Colapinto performs well, he’ll be in the car. If not, we’ll see.”
As the team prepares for the changes coming in 2026, Briatore emphasised that 2025 will be a year for experimentation. “I don’t know at this point whether Franco will drive for us the entire year – let’s see,” he said, indicating that Colapinto’s future is contingent on his results on the track.
The upcoming Spanish Grand Prix will be critical for Colapinto, who is under pressure to improve his performance if he hopes to secure his place racing for Alpine in the long term. The event is set to commence at 11pm on Sunday (AEST).