The Argentine is fighting to secure Alpine's seat in 2026, while Briatore speaks of 'stability' for the remainder of the season
The support comes in a context where Briatore alternated criticism and praise toward the native of Pilar. In the middle of the year, he doubted whether it was the right time for him in F1, although weeks later he acknowledged that he was "much more consistent" and highlighted him for being on par with Gasly in several races.
Regarding the Italian businessman, Steiner emphasized his calmness in avoiding a second driver change in the middle of the season: "He has been patient with him so far because he said: 'Colapinto has to deliver,' but he didn't, but he's still patient."
The decision will come between October and November, but both due to Briatore's own signals and Steiner's assessment, Colapinto appears increasingly well positioned to remain at Alpine and face the new technical regulations debuting in 2026, along with improvements to a car that is currently struggling.
Franco Colapinto is going through decisive weeks regarding his future in Formula 1. Alpine has not yet decided who will be Pierre Gasly's teammate in 2026, and the options have been narrowed down to two names: the Argentine and the Estonian Paul Aron. Flavio Briatore, the team's principal advisor, acknowledged that "stability" is a necessity at this moment and suggested that the continuity of the driver from Pilar is gaining ground.
In this scenario, Guenther Steiner, former Haas team principal, commented on the current situation of the South American. When asked if Aron could take the seat, he stated: "Whew! Pause! Pause! Colapinto is making progress right now." He explained that the difficulties with the car do not allow for a fair assessment: "He's making progress, yes, crashing into the wall, yes, I know. He's making progress, but look at the car's condition. You can't judge a driver with a car like this."
