Alpine Forgives Colapinto to Prioritize Championship Battle With Racing Bulls

Alpine chief Flavio Briatore has announced the team will move past Franco Colapinto's collision with teammate Pierre Gasly during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Despite the heavy cost of a double retirement, the Enstone-based squad is prioritizing a cohesive environment over disciplinary action to ensure they remain competitive in the fight for fifth place.

Why it matters:

With only eight races remaining in the 2026 season, Alpine cannot afford internal friction or distractions. The Baku incident didn't just cost them a double-points finish; it directly benefited Racing Bulls, who saw Arvid Lindblad secure seventh. Prioritizing on-track performance over internal repercussions is a calculated move to close the gap in the standings during the final stretch of the calendar.

The Details:

• The Baku Incident: A three-car collision involving Colapinto, Gasly, and McLaren's Lando Norris resulted in zero points for Alpine, stripping the team of a prime scoring opportunity.
• Championship Standing: Alpine currently trails Racing Bulls by 15 points in the battle for P5.
• Strategic Penalties: Colapinto enters the current Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia with a total 15-place grid penalty.
  • 5 places were handed down due to the Baku collision.
  • 10 additional places were incurred after Alpine strategically opted to install a fresh combustion engine.
• Tactical Timing: The team decided to utilize the current weekend for the engine change because Colapinto's chances of a high starting position were already compromised by the initial penalty.

What's next:

Alpine's focus now shifts entirely to the remaining eight rounds of the season. Briatore remains confident that the 15-point deficit is recoverable, provided the team can maintain stability and avoid further intra-team incidents. The priority is clear: maximize point-scoring potential to overtake Racing Bulls before the season finale.