Franco Colapinto defiant as Alpine’s rapid rise boosts his confidence

Franco Colapinto says he's happier and more confident after Alpine’s dramatic improvement this season, a stark contrast to the back‑of‑the‑grid struggle they endured in 2025.

After a quiet 2025 in which Alpine prioritized the upcoming 2026 regulation changes, early‑season upgrades have already lifted the A526 from the rear of the pack into point‑scoring range.

Why it matters

Alpine’s resurgence is reshaping the midfield battle, pulling points away from teams such as Haas and Aston Martin and forcing rivals to re‑evaluate their own development trajectories. The partnership with a Mercedes power unit—secured after Alpine gave up its works status—appears to be paying dividends, giving the team a more reliable and competitive engine platform. For a rookie driver, that confidence translates into faster lap times, better qualifying positions and a stronger learning curve, all of which benefit the team’s long‑term chassis development.

The details

• Points surge – Alpine has amassed 16 points in the first three rounds, just six shy of the 22 it collected over the entire 2025 season.
• Colapinto’s first point – The Argentine earned his maiden point since his Williams days at the Chinese Grand Prix, a result that would have been higher but for an incident caused by Esteban Ocon.
• Car upgrades – The A526 now runs closer to front‑midfield pace, with updated rear‑spec parts (new suspension uprights and a revised diffuser) introduced after a vibration issue was detected in Shanghai.\n- Driver lineup – Colapinto took over Jack Doohan’s seat six rounds into last year; his progress now mirrors teammate Pierre Gasly, who has also begun to pick up occasional points.

What's next

Looking ahead, Colapinto expects the gap with Gasly to shrink as the team continues to fine‑tune the A526. He is targeting “consistent point‑scoring finishes” and believes the season’s development trajectory will keep Alpine in the fight for midfield honors. The next three rounds in Japan, Qatar and the United States will test whether the upgrades can hold up on high‑downforce circuits. With further aerodynamic and power‑unit refinements on the horizon, Alpine hopes to turn its early momentum into a sustained push toward the top‑ten.