The French team appears ready to extend Franco Colapinto’s contract after being impressed by his progress during the second half of the season. The renewal is expected soon—possibly at the Brazilian Grand Prix—and would secure the Argentine driver’s place with Alpine for 2026. Meanwhile, Red Bull and Racing Bulls are delaying their decision on which driver will make way for young prospect Arvid Lindblad.
During the ten-day break before the Brazilian Grand Prix, the announcement of Franco Colapinto’s contract extension with Alpine is anticipated. Representatives of the sponsor supporting the Argentine driver were seen in the Mexico City paddock, suggesting that the deal is already finalized and the official confirmation is imminent. For Franco Colapinto, this is an important achievement: his improvements in the second part of the season have been clear, even if somewhat hidden by the team’s ongoing technical struggles. His seat for next season was not guaranteed, given the internal competition from Paul Aron and Jack Doohan, but he ultimately convinced the team that he deserves to stay.
The situation is more complicated within the Red Bull camp. “There’s no rush,” say Helmut Marko and Laurent Mekies, who must decide who will partner Max Verstappen in 2026 and which two drivers will line up for Racing Bulls. In truth, some decisions have already been made. Isack Hadjar is expected to join Verstappen at Red Bull, while all signs point to Arvid Lindblad becoming one of the two Racing Bulls drivers. Clues include his absence from the Formula 2 driver market for next season and the specific testing program designed for him during Friday’s FP1 session in Mexico.
Red Bull gave Lindblad the ideal conditions to shine—two short runs on soft tires with low fuel—and the 18-year-old British driver delivered an impressive performance. The final decision Red Bull faces concerns who will lose their Racing Bulls seat and, at least temporarily, their place as a Formula 1 race driver: Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson. For now, that decision remains uncertain. If Tsunoda keeps his seat, Honda’s continued financial support would be a bonus, but Marko and Mekies want to be sure of Lawson’s potential for growth before finalizing anything.
In past years, Red Bull has made both great calls and some premature ones when judging young drivers. The departures of Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, and especially Alexander Albon later led to second thoughts. For this reason, the team is taking more time this season, preferring to wait until the very end to gather as much information as possible before making its final choice.
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