A man in a red and black racing jersey is sitting facing the camera with a neutral expression. — Hirakawa spoke about his departure from the French team | La Derecha Diario

Camara — Hirakawa spoke about his departure from the French team | La Derecha Diario

A former teammate of Colapinto criticized him and other drivers for their departure from Alpine.

The driver recently left the French team because he didn't see a promising future within the team's current setup

14/04/2025 19:48:00h

Editorial Team

The Japanese driver Ryo Hirakawa, who until recently was part of Alpine's reserve drivers along with Franco Colapinto, changed course and was announced as the new reserve driver for the Haas team. In an interview with various media outlets, Hirakawa was clear when referring to his departure: "I can't deny it. I think it's difficult to answer, but I think that's how it was understood, so yes".

Hirakawa, who participated in FP1 of the Japanese Grand Prix, where he finished in 12th place, joined the American team as part of an alliance with Toyota, a brand with which he competed in the World Endurance Championship. This technological connection between both structures facilitated the transfer. However, the driver himself pointed out that the large number of reserve drivers that Alpine has, including Colapinto, also influenced.

Two race car drivers in pink and black BWT suits, one of them holding a microphone.

Hirakawa blamed Colapinto for being one of the reasons for his departure from Alpine | La Derecha Diario

Beyond that, he expressed his enthusiasm for this new stage in the North American team: "I'm happy to be with Haas. I'm seeing that the results are improving, so I'm excited to join. It's easy to say I'm too old, but who knows[if]I can do well or not, so I do my best. I did a good job last week, so I keep doing it, and I just focus on my work", commented the 31-year-old driver.

Despite Hirakawa's departure, Alpine still has a robust roster of reserve drivers. Besides theArgentinian, the list also includes Estonian Paul Aron and Indian Kush Maini, ensuring options to cover any eventuality without surprises.

Two men in racing suits pose in front of a blue background.

Aron and Maini are Colapinto's competition in the reserve | La Derecha Diario

When is Colapinto coming back?

According to Jorge Fossaroli, an ESPN journalist, Colapinto will not be at the next Saudi Arabian GP. "It was thought that Franco would fulfill the role of reserve driver at the circuit in the next race, but since Paul Aron is here, and today he was walking quite a bit with Pierre Gasly, he will fulfill the same role. It's only a two-hour flight from here to Saudi Arabia", he expressed.

This way, everything points to Colapinto being back in the pits during the Miami Grand Prix, something that was confirmed on the driver's official site. This race is not only the first on the calendar in America, but it also represents a key opportunity from a commercial standpoint, due to the presence of emissaries from the e-commerce company that sponsors him and other important sponsors of the Argentinian.

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