La Derecha Diario The reason why Colapinto will miss Monza FP1 and Paul Aron will take his place
Due to Formula 1 regulations, the Argentine driver will not get into the A525 in FP1 of the Italian Grand Prix and will have to give up his place to the Estonian driver
After delivering his best race of the year in Formula 1, Franco Colapinto was enthusiastically preparing for the challenge in Monza. However, he will have to wait to get back in the A525, as Alpine confirmed that Paul Aron, the team's reserve driver, will take his place in the first free practice session of the Italian Grand Prix.
The decision is not related to the Argentine's performance, but rather to a regulatory obligation. The FIA requires each team to allocate at least four free practice sessions per season to a reserve driver, which forces both Colapinto and Pierre Gasly to give up their seat on two occasions.
In this context, the French team made the decision official on its social media: "Stepping up for FP1 at the Italian Grand Prix, Paul Aron will make his first appearance in the A525 next weekend as part of his reserve driver duties," they announced.
The 20-year-old Estonian will thus have his first official experience in F1, while Colapinto will return to the car starting from the second session in Monza. It is worth noting that Gasly had already fulfilled this requirement in Japan, when he gave up his seat to Ryō Hirakawa, now a Haas driver.
Thus, after the round in Italy, Colapinto and Gasly will still have to give up their seat once more during the remainder of the season, in compliance with current regulations.
Aron's reaction after the announcement
Once the news became known, the Estonian could not contain his joy at being part of his first official test at the wheel of an Alpine. "I'm really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the A525 in my first Grand Prix weekend with the team in Monza. I know everyone very well since I joined at the end of last year as a test and reserve driver, and I appreciate the trust the team has given me to drive in Friday's first free practice session," he said.
"My goal is to do the best job possible to help set up the car throughout the weekend and be in the best position to have a competitive race weekend from the start. Personally, it will be fantastic to take advantage of the experience I've gained in the simulator and testing opportunities. I'll make sure to use this to have an enjoyable and productive session for both myself and the team," he concluded.
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