Alpine’s Struggles and Franco Colapinto’s Determination
Franco Colapinto, the Argentine driver for Alpine, has faced significant challenges this season as he continues to adapt to the 2025 Formula 1 car. Despite his efforts, the results have been underwhelming, with no points scored in the first seven races of the season. The transition from Jack Doohan to Colapinto hasn’t yielded the expected improvements, and both drivers have struggled with the performance of the Alpine A525.
The Challenges of the 2025 Alpine Car
The difficulties with the Alpine A525 are not limited to Colapinto alone. Pierre Gasly, Colapinto’s teammate, has also voiced concerns about the car’s handling and competitiveness. From pre-season testing, there were glimpses of potential, but unlocking that performance has proven challenging. Gasly’s seventh-place finish in Bahrain was a rare bright spot, while other races have highlighted the car’s limitations.
One of the main issues is the power unit’s weakness, which has left Alpine trailing behind teams like Sauber, Aston Martin, and Haas. This has placed the team further back in the midfield championship standings, with only 19 points to their name so far. Gasly’s Q3 appearance in Silverstone was a positive surprise, and he capitalized on mixed weather conditions to finish sixth—a notable achievement for the team.
Qualifying Head-to-Head: Gasly vs. Colapinto
A comparison of Gasly and Colapinto’s qualifying performances reveals a clear disparity:
- Emilia Romagna: Gasly 15th, Colapinto 18th (no lap time in Q2 due to a crash)
- Monaco: Gasly 20th, Colapinto 20th (+0.603s in Q1)
- Spain: Gasly 19th, Colapinto 20th (+0.253s in Q1)
- Canada: Gasly 12th, Colapinto 10th
- Austria: Gasly 14th (+0.442s in Q2), Colapinto 10th
- Great Britain: Gasly 20th (+0.732s in Q1 due to a crash), Colapinto 20th
Gasly’s experience allows him to extract more from the car, while Colapinto has found it harder to adjust, particularly in the early stages of the weekend. This has made it difficult for him to close the gap to his teammate.
Progress and Challenges
Despite the struggles, there have been signs of progress. Colapinto’s performance in Canada showed promise, but an early mistake in the British GP qualifying cost him a chance to confirm the improvements. He acknowledged the need to bring better performance from Friday to Saturday, as the car’s unpredictability makes it hard to fine-tune quickly.
Colapinto emphasized the importance of making the car more predictable and easier to drive. He noted that the car becomes unstable in higher temperatures, leading to excessive rear tire wear. This instability creates a cycle that is hard to break, affecting his confidence and performance.
Team Dynamics and Future Outlook
Reports suggesting Colapinto will remain at Alpine for the rest of the season have been dismissed. Instead, he is on a race-by-race contract, with pressure to deliver better results. However, several factors give him some breathing room, including the team’s focus on 2026, his commercial backing from Argentina, and the general difficulties of the 2025 car.
Alpine could consider swapping drivers, such as bringing in reserve driver Paul Aron, but the priority remains improving the car’s performance and driveability. The team’s decision to focus on 2026 has affected its development this year, leaving it behind its midfield rivals.
Technical Director’s Perspective
Technical director David Sanchez explained the team’s strategy: “We know there are big opportunities in 2026. We may not have pushed as hard this season as some others, but we are happy with our choice.” Gasly echoed this sentiment, supporting the team’s focus on next year’s car.
Despite the challenges, Gasly remains optimistic about the team’s chances. His sixth-place finish at Silverstone was the best result of the season so far, offering hope for future improvements. For Colapinto, the path forward involves gaining more experience with the car and learning to maximize performance quickly.
Conclusion
Colapinto acknowledges that the journey is ongoing and that progress is being made, albeit slowly. “The solutions to the issues are coming, and we are finding them,” he said. While the road ahead is tough, his determination to improve and help the team remains unwavering.