Franco Colapinto was the surprise of 2024. The Argentine replaced the underperforming Logan Sargeant in Monza, and immediately made a good impression on various teams in the final races of the season. Alpine is reportedly now even close to a contract deal with Colapinto.
Franco Colapinto scored points in his second race as a Williams driver, in Azerbaijan, which led many teams to consider contracting the Argentine. Red Bull and Alpine immediately contacted Colapinto’s management. However, the talks with Red Bull did not bear fruit for the Argentine, as the Austrian racing team decided to give the Racing Bulls seat next to Yuki Tsunoda to Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar.
Alpine, however, is reportedly still considering adding Colapinto to the French team. The Argentine sports newspaper Olé reports that the French team will soon reveal what role their compatriot will play at Alpine, despite the racing team choosing Jack Doohan as Pierre Gasly’s teammate in early December.
Performance Clause?
The role Colapinto will play in the team is not yet known. According to rumors, Doohan’s contract contains a performance clause, which would allow Alpine to replace the Australian after just a few races. Advisor Flavio Briatore has also previously expressed interest in bringing Colapinto to Alpine. “I am interested in any driver who is fast,” the Italian told Auto Motor und Sport. However, Briatore emphasized at the time that Colapinto would be an option for 2026 rather than 2025.
