Why it matters
Franco Colapinto's Formula 1 future with Alpine is in serious doubt after strong criticism from Alpine's executive advisor Flavio Briatore.
The details
- Colapinto was brought in to replace Jack Doohan earlier this season, joining Alpine from Williams as a reserve driver.
- He has struggled to meet Briatore's three core expectations: driving fast, scoring points, and avoiding crashes.
- His best finishes have been 13th in Monaco and Canada.
- Briatore stated that Colapinto's performances were "not what I expected" and highlighted that it's "very difficult to cope with this car" for a young driver in F1.
Briatore's concerns
- Briatore expressed being "not happy with the result" despite Colapinto's and the engineering team's efforts.
- He acknowledged that "too much pressure" might have impacted Colapinto, emphasizing the human aspect of young drivers (19-23 years old).
- Briatore admitted underestimating this human element, concluding, "honestly, I don't know" about Colapinto's future with the team.
What's next
Under F1 rules, Alpine is permitted one more driver change for the 2025 season, allowing for up to four drivers per team annually. Briatore's comments strongly suggest a potential reevaluation of Colapinto's position.