La Derecha Diario Colapinto will remain a starter at Alpine, regardless of what happens at the Austrian GP.
Despite rumors about a possible change, the performance of the Argentine driver convinced Flavio Briatore, and he will remain as a representative of the French team
This weekend's Austrian Grand Prix will mark Franco Colapinto's fifth appearance as a main driver for Alpine, after having replaced Jack Doohan following a difficult start to the season for the Australian. Initially, the Argentine was only going to compete in five races alongside Pierre Gasly, with a subsequent evaluation. However, Flavio Briatore downplayed that limit.
Although he hasn't yet matched his brilliant debut with Williams in 2024, Colapinto would keep his seat at least until Silverstone, and his continuity will depend on the performance he shows in each race.
This process is part of Briatore's evaluation plan looking ahead to 2026, when the new technical regulations for Formula 1 will come into effect and Alpine will have to decide who will partner Gasly in the future.
In a very competitive midfield, Colapinto showed progress at the Canadian GP, where he managed to qualify for Q2 and finished 13th on Sunday, one of his best performances so far.
"Canada was definitely a good step forward. We've been working a lot with the team to understand which direction makes me feel more comfortable with the setup," the Argentine explained ahead of the Austrian GP.
"Overall, I've felt better, more comfortable, and more connected with the car, and that's what we're looking for. We're just trying to focus race by race, step by step, and then we'll see what happens," he added.
Although his performance hasn't yet represented a significant leap compared to Doohan's, Alpine doesn't seem to have an immediate new change in its plans. Part of this is because the car's poor performance remains the team's main problem, beyond the names.
In this context, Colapinto's situation is similar to that of other drivers occupying the last spots on the grid: his stay is decided race by race. Nevertheless, the commercial support he receives from Argentina could be a key factor in maintaining his seat if doubts arise.
The next round, at Silverstone, will be special for Colapinto: he had his first Grand Prix experience there in 2024, during a challenging FP1 in the rain with Williams.
"It was a very important weekend, and being able to have that comparison now at the same circuit is good," he recalled. "It always gets easier when you've already driven a Formula 1 car on that track. It's a great circuit, full of fast corners, and I love driving there."
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