Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore has offered rare praise for Franco Colapinto, admitting the rookie is becoming “much more consistent” as he fights to secure his place alongside Pierre Gasly for 2026.
Colapinto stepped in for Jack Doohan ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, but his transition to Alpine has been difficult. While the team has largely struggled at the back of the grid this season, Gasly has still managed to deliver 20 points – a stark contrast to his teammate.
That inconsistency led Briatore to cast doubt on Colapinto’s future earlier this year. Alpine even held discussions with veterans Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, though both opted to sign with Cadillac instead. If Colapinto fails to convince Alpine, he could find himself in a shootout with Doohan, Paul Aron, and possibly Yuki Tsunoda for the second seat.
Still, Briatore believes Colapinto’s form has begun to turn a corner:
“For the moment I believe Franco is doing a good job,” he told Sky. “He paid a bit for his inexperience in the beginning, like a lot of the rookies, a lot of young drivers. Now in the last three, four races, he’s much more consistent, no mistakes, and maybe Franco, maybe we’ll see.”
Four or five races to prove himself
Colapinto is expected to remain in the car until the end of the season, but Briatore has made it clear the decision will rest on the next handful of races.
With Alpine abandoning their works engine project and preparing to switch to Mercedes power units from 2026, the team hopes to be more competitive in the near future. That raises the stakes for Colapinto, who must show he can be part of Alpine’s long-term rebuild.
“Now I think Franco is in the line to be stabilising himself,” Briatore added. “He’s driving well, has very nice communication with the engineering team. Let’s see. We have another four or five races to judge, and after we’ll see.”
