The advisor of the French team acknowledged the Argentine's progress and stated that his level is comparable to that of his teammate Pierre Gasly
Briatore also revealed details about an episode that occurred at the United States Grand Prix, when the Argentine disobeyed a team order and overtook his teammate. "Franco had to apologize to Gasly and then to the entire team," the executive explained, making it clear that the situation was solved internally.
The future of Franco Colapinto in Formula 1 appears to have taken a favorable turn. After weeks of speculation, it was Flavio Briatore himself, Alpine's principal advisor, who provided the strongest hints regarding the Argentine driver's continuity with the French team.
In an interview with the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, the renowned Italian executive stated that Colapinto is well positioned to continue competing for Alpine in 2026 and did not hesitate to highlight his progress during the final stretch of the season. "He has improved a lot lately and has delivered four races at Pierre (Gasly)'s level," Briatore said, who holds a key role in the team's decision-making process.
The words of the former Renault director did not go unnoticed in the paddock. His recognition of the performance of the young man from Pilar, just 22 years old, reinforces the confidence the team has placed in him since his arrival in the top category. Meanwhile, Colapinto limited himself to stating that his continuity doesn't depend on him, although internal signals suggest that his contract renewal is only a matter of time.
After that incident, Colapinto himself released a statement together with the team in which he acknowledged his mistake and emphasized the importance of collective work: "Team instructions must always be followed. We're all focused on improving race by race."
Briatore's public praise comes at a key moment, as Alpine finalizes details of its line-up for next year. While speculation about possible replacements fades, the Argentine driver continues to deliver on the track. In the recent Mexican Grand Prix he once again demonstrated a competitive pace, despite the limitations of the A525, and only a Virtual Safety Car prevented him from overtaking Gasly again at the end of the race.
Given this scenario, everything seems to indicate that Franco Colapinto will continue as an Alpine driver in 2026, supported by Briatore's backing and by a present that consolidates him as one of the greatest prospects in world motorsport.
