Franco Colapinto makes his return to the Formula 1 grid at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend. He takes over from Jack Doohan as Pierre Gasly’s teammate at Alpine.
Colapinto had been widely expected to replace Doohan in-season since he joined Alpine from Williams over the winter. After the Australian retired from the Miami GP with damage, Flavio Briatore pulled the trigger.
His new driver has already shown he can deliver at short notice. He was a commendable 12th on his debut for Williams last September after succeeding Logan Sargeant, and scored points in two of his next three outings.
However, there are still some doubts around Colapinto, whose year ended with a series of heavy crashes. That may be part of the reason why Alpine have only signed him for an initial five races.
Colapinto has completed private tests at Zandvoort and Monza this year, so the notoriously ruthless Briatore will expect him to be fully prepared for his Imola debut.
Franco Colapinto must stop ‘putting his foot in it’ with the media
On average, Colapinto was a ‘couple of tenths’ slower than Williams teammate Alex Albon last season. That was a creditable effort given the gulf in experience.
However, according to a report from The Race, Alpine want him to be even closer to Gasly at the outset. Their expectations are high and they have little patience.
Jack Doohan’s father compared his results with Gasly on social media after the driver swap was announced. The Frenchman has only scored points in one Grand Prix, highlighting the car’s limitations, but never finished behind his teammate.
But Colapinto won’t just be judged on what he does on the track. He apparently has a ‘tendency to put his foot in it’ in interviews, and it’s ‘essential’ he cuts this out.
Flavio Briatore already has a replacement lined up if Franco Colapinto struggles
Colapinto received a ‘scolding’ from his manager last year when he told fans to buy fake Williams merchandise because it was far cheaper than the authentic products.
While his supporters may appreciate his honesty, Briatore wants to protect the Alpine brand. Colapinto was the youngest driver on the grid in 2024 but the 21-year-old has been bumped down to fifth by the influx of rookies.
Briatore has sent a message to Colapinto’s sponsors by handing a short-term deal. If the anticipated commercial incentives don’t arrive, it could put the driver at risk.
Paul Aron is next in line for Alpine after finishing third in the 2024 F2 championship. Doohan is unlikely to race for the team again, even if he remains on their roster.
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