Confirmation expected before Brazil Grand Prix
Franco Colapinto is poised to continue as a racing driver for Alpine in 2026 as well. An official announcement could come as early as this week, even before the Brazilian Grand Prix.
He entered Alpine in January on a multi-year contract, transferred from Williams. Since the summer break, his form has been improving markedly. As a result, he quickly became the favourite for the race spot alongside Pierre Gasly.
What made the difference for Colapinto?
Colapinto showed better performances after the summer. That gave him more confidence and peace of mind. Support from Latin America, including sponsorship money, also played a role. He said earlier that he was eager to race without so much stress. That stability now seems within reach.
In Mexico, he finished just behind Gasly. At the Mexico circuit, he also left Paul Aron, his main competitor for the spot, behind in the first free practice session. Aron had impressed on Friday, but Colapinto still set the stronger time.
Colapinto's development and criticism
His season started falteringly after he replaced Jack Doohan. That led to criticism, especially from the returning team manager. The latter said earlier that Colapinto might have been upgraded too early. However, that spurred Colapinto to perform better. Since then, his level has clearly gone up.
Officially, Colapinto has yet to accumulate any World Cup points. In practice, before the summer, he was only twice faster than Gasly and finished behind him more often. After the summer, the result is more equal: three wins each in aggregate performances over the six races thereafter.
Alpine through a turbulent period
The past 18 months have been turbulent for Alpine. The team dropped far back on the track. In addition, many management spats and personnel changes happened.
- The former Renault chief returned as an influential leader.
- Renault discontinued its own Formula 1 engine programme.
- Esteban Ocon was replaced earlier than expected.
- Jack Doohan made way for Colapinto after just six races in 2025.
- Oli Oakes took over as team chief, but left within months.
- And the Renault ceo and major sponsor left mid-year.
Ahead of the new 2026 rules, Alpine chose to sacrifice a lot now. The hope is that that pain will be rewarded with big steps forward next year.
Consequences for Jack Doohan
If Colapinto is officially confirmed, Doohan's chances of a return to the racing grid with Alpine have been dashed. There had been talks for Doohan to possibly return this season. That depended on how the management felt about Colapinto.
Doohan remains Alpine's reserve driver. But he would rather have a permanent racing seat or at least drive a full programme. He has already missed full seasons since 2023. Therefore, he is now looking for alternatives.
- Possible teams talked about: Cadillac, Williams, Haas and Sauber.
- This usually involves test and reserve rolls.
- A real racing opportunity could emerge earlier in 2027.
- A combination of F1 roles and active racing (e.g. Super Formula in Japan) is attractive to him.
Summary
Colapinto has recovered after a difficult start. He will now get a longer-term opportunity at Alpine. This brings calm to the driver line-up as the team prepares for 2026. For Doohan, this raises new questions about his racing plans and subsequent career.
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