Franco Colapinto Survives Difficult Alpine Debut to Keep 2026 Drive

Franco Colapinto secured Alpine's second seat for 2026 after replacing the dropped Jack Doohan mid-season. Despite a difficult 2025 campaign struggling with the uncompetitive A525 car and being comprehensively outpaced by teammate Pierre Gasly, the Argentinian did just enough to convince the team's leadership, led by Flavio Briatore, to retain him for the upcoming season.

Why it matters:

• This move highlights the brutal, high-stakes nature of Formula 1's driver market, where a rookie's career can be derailed in a handful of races.
• It underscores Flavio Briatore's decisive and unforgiving management style, setting a clear precedent for performance expectations within the team.
• Colapinto's retention is a key part of Alpine's long-term project as they prepare for a major reset in 2026 with new Mercedes power units.

The details:

• Doohan's Demise: Original rookie Jack Doohan was dropped after just six rounds following a series of costly incidents, with a high-speed crash at Suzuka being the final straw.
• Colapinto's Promotion: Colapinto, initially a reserve driver with significant South American sponsorship, stepped into the challenging mid-season seat.
• Performance Struggles: The Argentinian found the Alpine A525 "recalcitrant" and was outqualified by Gasly 17-5, failing to score a single point.
• Development Freeze: Alpine's poor performance was compounded by the team's early decision to halt 2025 car development and focus entirely on its 2026 challenger.

What's next:

• The 2026 season represents a fresh start for Alpine and a critical opportunity for Colapinto to prove his worth with a more competitive Mercedes-powered car.
• He will need to deliver significant improvements and close the gap to Gasly to solidify his long-term future at the team.
• With the unpredictable Briatore at the helm, Colapinto's leash will likely be short, putting immediate pressure on him to perform from the very first race.