Franco Colapinto faced another tough weekend in his Formula 1 debut season after crashing out in Q1 at the 2025 British Grand Prix, but the Alpine driver is adamant he remains unbothered by swirling rumours over his future.
Despite his early elimination from qualifying and increasing speculation about a potential change in the team’s line-up, Colapinto maintains he is focused on improving his performance rather than worrying about what comes next.
With eight minutes left in Q1 at Silverstone, Colapinto lost the rear of his car at the final corner and ended up in the barriers, triggering a red flag. Though he initially managed to limp his Alpine out of the wall and attempted to continue, the team instructed him to stop just past Copse corner, ending his session.
The crash left the 22-year-old set to start Sunday’s race at Silverstone from the back of the grid. As questions about his place in the team grew louder, Colapinto was candid about his struggles in qualifying but struck a composed tone when discussing his future with the media.
“Yeah, I just lost the rear in the last corner. I was going on power and I clipped the wall. Yeah, it was a pity, I think. I’m still struggling quite a lot, but there was definitely something we could have done,” Colapinto admitted.
Colapinto also clarified that the team had told him to stop the car after the crash: “Yeah, yeah. To stop out of Turn 1. So, a bit of a pity. Not a good quali from my side. We found a lot of things, I think, this weekend to make me feel a bit better with the car, closer to Pierre, but of course, you know, we are still far. We need to do a couple of steps for the next couple of races.”
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The setback comes at a critical point in Colapinto’s rookie campaign, with his original five-race trial having run its course. Alpine team boss Flavio Briatore was visibly frustrated after the incident, fueling speculation about alternative options for the second Alpine seat.
Reports have suggested the team may be exploring other drivers, including reaching out to Mercedes to inquire about Valtteri Bottas, who is also rumoured to be available for a midseason switch.
Colapinto Turns Focus to Performance
Despite the pressure, Colapinto is making it clear he is not preoccupied with the uncertainty. “I’m not very concerned. Of course, there is always talks. I just need to keep working and trying to help the team to improve the car. Today was not ideal. I think we did some good steps, but definitely not what we wanted.”
The Argentine also reflected on the progress made during the weekend, noting he is still learning to get the most out of his car, especially compared to teammate Pierre Gasly, who progressed to Q3 in a strong showing for Alpine.
“I’m still struggling quite a lot, but there was definitely something we could have done,” Colapinto said, hinting at further work to do but confident that incremental gains are possible.
Colapinto arrived at Alpine midseason, stepping in for Jack Doohan after the Miami Grand Prix. Alpine’s initial press release stated he would race for a minimum of five events, but with the British Grand Prix marking his sixth weekend, speculation has grown that the team may make another change before the Belgian Grand Prix.
However, as Colapinto pointed out, “There is always talks,” and for now, his priority remains on helping Alpine climb the order and finding his feet in F1’s most competitive midfield.
The rookie’s mentality remains undisturbed by the pressure cooker environment of Formula 1. “We need to do a couple of steps for the next couple of races,” Colapinto reiterated. “I just need to keep working.”
