The Argentine company broke its silence and revealed the reason for its absence from Franco Colapinto's new single-seater for 2026
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The presentation of the new Alpine single-seater for the upcoming Formula 1 season featured an absence that did not go unnoticed: Mercado Libre. The lack of the sponsor linked to Franco Colapinto at the event held this Friday in Barcelona sparked rumors and questions among the Argentine's fans.
Marcos Galperín's company has supported the native of Pilar since his arrival in the category with Williams in 2024 and has continued to do so since the driver began his stint at Alpine. During that time, Mercado Libre carried out high-impact activations at various Grands Prix, such as Mexico and Brazil, where the single-seater displayed its characteristic yellow color, something that was repeated in 2025 and also extended to the Grand Prix of the Americas.
Los alerones de Mercado Libre en el A525
In addition to its presence on track, Colapinto was one of the visible faces of several of the company's advertising campaigns, with high-production commercials that had a strong impact since his arrival in the Big Circus.
In response to the surprise caused by the absence of the logo at the official presentation of the new car, Mercado Libre released an official statement in which it clarified the situation. The company confirmed that it is maintaining talks with Alpine to reach a new agreement for the 2026 season, which will begin on March 8 with the Australian Grand Prix, and it reaffirmed its relationship with the Argentine driver.
"At Mercado Libre, our sponsorship agreements support projects that evolve over time", explained Sean Summers, the company's Chief Marketing Officer.
He added: "Although we're still in talks and assessing the details of a possible agreement with Alpine F1, we maintain a solid relationship with Franco Colapinto, whom we have been supporting since his beginnings in the category. We are proud of his growth and we will continue to support his sporting development".
Mercado Libre seguirá apoyando a Colapinto
Meanwhile, in recent days Mercado Libre announced the addition of Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto as one of the sponsored drivers for the new Formula 1 season, a decision linked to the company's expansion strategy in the Brazilian market, which is considered key to its regional growth.
