The return of Formula 1 after the summer break will take place on a track that usually demands the most from the single-seaters. Monza, with its long straights and heavy braking zones, will test the revamped A526 of Franco Colapinto, who will face the Italian Grand Prix with the upgrade package that his teammate Pierre Gasly already used in The Netherlands.
The changes debuted in Zandvoort and represented a significant performance leap for the Enstone team. Now, the Argentine will be able to utilize this evolution on a completely different layout and will seek to verify if the progress also holds in the specific conditions of the Italian circuit.
In the lead-up, Colapinto emphasized the progress made by the team and stated that the results have already shown positive signs. "I think it's a very good improvement. Especially in Zandvoort, which is not a circuit that has been good for us. If you look at the type of corners and the circuit map, it wasn't a track that has been good for our car in previous races, and I think as a team we took a very big step forward", the driver told the media.
Additionally, the driver from Pilar highlighted that this is the most important evolution of Alpine so far this season. "The numbers prove it, so that's the most important part, and it has definitely been the biggest improvement we've had all year. So I think it's something very positive in that sense. We have to see how it works here in Monza, but in Zandvoort it was a big step forward and, again, very, very positive. And, of course, we are grateful to the team for their effort. We've had difficult moments with the upgrades this year, but this one seems to be very positive", he expressed.
However, the enthusiasm for the A526 update comes with a concrete concern. The forecasted temperatures for the weekend, with readings above 35 degrees, could become a problem for Alpine, especially due to the team's difficulty in managing tire wear and heating.
"It's going to be very hot this weekend and that's not good for us or our tires. We suffer more overheating than others, so that could be an aspect we need to focus on. I think here in Monza it will be complicated. I will try to maximize the possibilities that the car gives us during the race", Colapinto warned.
To that factor is added an issue specific to the Italian layout and the current regulations. The management of energy will be one of the major challenges of the event due to the long straights and the few opportunities for battery recovery. For the Argentine, this situation may expose some of the limitations of the current single-seaters.
"Perhaps we won't see as many downshifts (out of the ordinary), because it's true that the energy recovery limit is very low, so the 'superclip' is small, because you can't recover much energy. Therefore, the 'superclip' is no longer that useful. Personally, I think it's going to be a complicated race. It's not going to be easy, but, again, it's another circuit that shows our weaknesses as Formula 1. It's going to show the weaknesses of the regulations", he noted.
The Argentine also appreciated the work that the FIA is doing to study the issues presented by these new cars on certain circuits and to find solutions for the future. "The FIA is working very hard to try to improve it and analyze these races and these difficult circuits for the engines, where we can do better in the future. I think it's a great test, once again, to try to understand where we can improve as a championship", he explained.
Finally, Colapinto focused on one of the effects that energy management could have on the performance of the single-seaters on the long straights of Monza. "It could be quite painful if you expect to have the maximum speeds of the year and it ends up not being the case. It will probably be one of the lowest maximum speeds of the year because you run out of energy. I hope there are good battles. I think we will be able to overtake quite a bit, more than last year, which is not bad, but in terms of speed, it will be complicated", he concluded.
With the upgrades finally available and a circuit that can punish the main difficulties of the Alpine, Colapinto will face in Monza a new opportunity to measure how far the team's evolution can go this season.
