Franco Colapinto Alpine contract negotiations have taken a new twist, as the team is set to keep the young Argentine in their race seat after his initial five-race trial comes to an end at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix.
The 21-year-old was brought in by Alpine after the Miami Grand Prix to replace Jack Doohan as part of a race-by-race assessment.
Though results have been modest – Colapinto’s best finish so far is 13th – recent progress, particularly in Canada where he outqualified established team-mate Pierre Gasly, has convinced team bosses to extend his opportunity.
Race-by-Race Future for Colapinto
When Franco Colapinto joined Alpine after a promising spell as reserve driver, the plan was clear: a five-race window to prove himself. After the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, that contract was due for review.
Yet, Colapinto himself hinted strongly that he will stay on for the next round at Silverstone, telling media he looks forward to returning to the British circuit where he made his first FP1 appearance in 2024.
Team sources have confirmed that there is no fixed end date for Colapinto’s trial. Instead, Alpine will continue to evaluate him on a race-by-race basis, focusing on his development and how he adapts to the A525 car.
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As Flavio Briatore explained, the team is prioritising car improvements over another round of midseason driver changes. This pragmatic approach gives Colapinto valuable time to adjust and potentially secure his future with the squad.
Learning and Progress at Alpine
Reflecting on his journey so far, Franco Colapinto pointed to Canada as a turning point: “Canada was a good step. We’ve been working hard to understand which direction I had to go with the car, which direction was making me more comfortable with the setup.”
He also credited the factory team for helping him settle into the A525, saying, “I think, generally, I’ve been feeling better, more comfortable and more connected with the car and that’s what we are looking forward to. At the end of the day, we are just trying to focus race by race and just trying to go step by step. Then we’ll see what happens.”
Colapinto’s debut at Silverstone in 2024, driving for Williams, remains a landmark. He impressed by lapping just four tenths slower than Alex Albon in FP1, a performance that set him on the path to this year’s full-time opportunity.
Now, he says, “It’s a bit more knowledge, a bit more experience. It always becomes easier as well when you already drove a Formula 1 at that track. You don’t get that shock of speed. Good to move forward to Silverstone too. It’s a great track, full of high speed and I love driving there.”
Alpine is expected to keep Franco Colapinto in the race seat for the foreseeable future, allowing both the driver and the team to build continuity as they prepare for 2026’s rule changes. With ongoing support and incremental progress, Colapinto’s journey with Alpine could stretch well beyond Austria—and possibly into a long-term F1 future.
