Alpine may be going through some upheaval at present with Franco Colapinto in the mix, but James Vowles says dealing with a “difficult environment” will only make the Argentinean driver stronger.

And stronger works for Williams, after all, the driver is only on a multi-year loan to Alpine.

Thrive or survive? The big question for Franco Colapinto

Colapinto made his Formula 1 debut last season, called up to replace the under-performing Logan Sargeant for the final nine races of the championship with Williams.

Climbing into the FW46 with less than 200km of F1 running under his belt, he impressed the paddock with two top ten finishes in his first four Grands Prix.

But while he caught the attention of Red Bull and Alpine, the former’s interest waned as he suffered several late-season crashes before Alpine brought him in as one of their F1 2025 reserve drivers.

Colapinto though, is no longer a reserve with Alpine announcing he’ll have a five-race run in the A525 starting at this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

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The 21-year-old replaces Jack Doohan, who had six races in the car but failed to score a single point.

Newly-appointed Alpine team boss Flavio Briatore called it a “need to rotate our line-up” as the Enstone team seeks to put the two best drivers; Pierre Gasly and team-mate, in the car for the all-important 2026 campaign.

However, Colapinto replacing Doohan is just one of the two huge changes Alpine announced last week, the other being team principal Oliver Oakes stepping down and Briatore taking his place.

Oakes stepped down with immediate effect in the wake of the Miami Grand Prix, Alpine adding that ‘Briatore will continue as Executive Advisor and will also be covering the duties previously performed by Oliver Oakes’.

But rather than being concerned about how the upheaval at Alpine could impact future Williams driver Colapinto, Vowles sees it as a good thing.

Asked if he was concerned Colapinto might struggle in the Alpine environment, he told ESPN: “I think there are two different things. Is it in a turbulent time? Yes, no doubt about it.

“Will they be supportive to Pierre [Gasly] and Franco? Yes, I think they will as well because they’re still the elite athletes that are driving for them in order to score the most points you can. So what normally happens even in a turbulent time is you still support your drivers.

“Actually think the learning is invaluable, whether it’s in that team or elsewhere. A, it’s time on track, B, it’s time and difficult environment and if you come out of it, you’ll only be stronger as a result and Franco is strong.

“So I think it’s still the right place for him to be at this stage.”

Colapinto has just five races in which to prove his worth to Alpine, the team stating that another driver ‘evaluation’ will be conducted in the wake of the Austrian Grand Prix.

Vowles is convinced Colapinto will pass the test.

“There’s a reason why we were really happy to do a transaction with Alpine because I really did think it’s his best chance of being in a racing seat either in ’25 or we thought more specifically ’26,” he said. “So that’s No. 1.

“And I’m proud he was part of our academy and that we have a responsibility towards why he’s now on the grid today.

“What you saw with us is he got up to speed very quickly. I know he’s immensely quick, so I think irrespective of whatever deadline they’ve sent, they’ve set he’ll do a good job in that period of time.”

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