PARIS.- The director of the team Alpine, Flavio Briatoredid not close the door on Wednesday to the continuity of the Argentine Franco Colapint In the French team for the next season, despite the lack of results in 2025.
Asked in an interview with the AFP about the identity of the second Alpine pilot by 2026, who would accompany the Frenchman Pierre Gasly, recently renewed until 2028, BriTore plans to make a definitive decision at the end of October and does not rule out the possibility that Collapinto, which has not released his dot locker in nine major awards this year, conserves his wheel.
“The team needs stability, and the possibility of keeping the pilots themselves is part of stability. At the moment we have not decided, but under normal conditions, stability means that I keep both of them,” said the veteran leader of Formula 1 Italian.
In the last GP, that of Italy last Sunday, Colapinto ended in 16th position, just ahead of Gasly.
Colapinto, 22, started the season as a Alpine test pilot. After six large awards played, the team decided to give the steering wheel of the Australian Jack Doohan from the Icola GP, in mid -May.
It has the best result this year the 13th position in Canada and has not yet scored.
Colapint debuted in Formula 1 a year ago, in August 2024, by replacing the American Logan Sargeant in the Williams team. He managed to score in his second GP in the elite, in Azerbaijan (8th), his best position in F1 to date.
Podies in 2026
Briatore also referred to the Mercedes engines that Alpine will have next season: “In 2026 we will have a motorization like the others (…) there will be no excuses,” he said.
But Alpine, who had started the sixth position in the classification of builders in 2024, will cost him to avoid the 10th and last position this season.
“Honestly, we thought about being much better this year. The engine we have is really a great handicap. Especially now that the 20 cars are in a second. With two tenths less, you can see you from 6th to 17th place,” said Briatare.
Thus, Alpine opted to bet on 2026, sacrificing in some way the performance in 2025.
“Renault does not have the ability to develop the 2025 car and make the new car by 2026. At one point you have to make decisions,” the Italian justified.
Upon arrival in June 2024, Briatore announced that the goal was to fight for victories in 2026 and for the world title in 2027. But the speech has changed a bit.
“We can do podes next year. We have the potential to be in Top 6 and even in top 4 if everything goes well,” he said.
