Franco Colapinto, the promising Argentine Formula 1 driver, is currently going through a difficult period at Alpine, where he has yet to regain the confidence and spark that distinguished him during his time with Williams. He has missed the three key performance benchmarks set by Alpine’s Flavio Briatore. Unlike his previous experience with the Williams FW46, Colapinto has struggled to find a good feeling with the Alpine A525, especially in the entry and mid-corner phases at medium to high speeds, which has limited his overall performance on track.
Last year, Franco Colapinto debuted in Formula 1 as a complete rookie, but with the hunger and speed of a driver fully aware that he held what might be the most important opportunity of his career to stand out and secure a permanent spot in the pinnacle of motorsport. Apart from some inevitable rookie errors, the Argentine’s initial impact was promising and showed clear potential.
His talent, speed, and commercial appeal convinced Alpine last winter to move decisively and secure Colapinto from Williams, the team he was contracted with and which had launched his F1 career, with the clear intention of giving him one of their two race seats at some point in the season.
That change came at Imola, when Colapinto replaced Jack Doohan, who last year was Alpine’s choice as Esteban Ocon’s replacement. At the time, Flavio Briatore set three strict conditions for Colapinto to earn a contract renewal: deliver strong results, avoid crashes, and bring points to the team. However, rather than serving as a springboard, Colapinto’s Alpine adventure has begun to feel more like a black hole.
The fundamental problem is that Colapinto has yet to find the same sensations and confidence at Alpine that he experienced last year with Williams, despite the FW46 being a car with a unique DNA, often described by drivers as difficult to drive — as Logan Sargeant notably highlighted. Colapinto now finds himself in a completely different environment, one in which he struggles to fully integrate.
“I’m lacking confidence with the car. Sometimes I just can’t find my rhythm in certain corners,” the Alpine driver said at the Hungarian Grand Prix, explaining how the spark between him and the A525 hasn’t yet ignited. On the rare occasions when it has, he has never really been in contention for points. Paradoxically, Alpine is experiencing the same problem as Red Bull, with only one driver regularly able to bring the car into the points.
“I have to fight to get the car to turn into corners, and that doesn’t give me much confidence. I didn’t have this problem last year: I could get in and be fast straight away. Now, I’m struggling more with the car, and that’s the reality. I don’t have the same confidence as last year, and that’s a factor in Formula 1 that can weigh heavily and cost a lot.”
“We’re working hard with the team to understand some of these problems, and I think we’re improving in some areas. It’s just that feeling that nothing has really come together yet, that our package has been maximized at times but not at others.”
Alpine is not a car that shines on slow corners, and one of the best qualities of the A525 — often praised by Pierre Gasly — is the precision of its front end at high speeds, which allows drivers to push on corner entry and through fast sections. Unsurprisingly, Gasly’s best results have come at relatively fast tracks, where the balance between downforce and top speed can be optimized.
But when that factor is missing, it logically causes performances to plummet. This has been the case for Colapinto, who struggles to find the confidence necessary to make a difference in corner entry and carry speed through the turns. It’s no coincidence that his best results so far have come at slower circuits like Canada and Hungary, where this factor plays a lesser role.
The core issue is that the Alpine A525 struggles on slow tracks, so even on his “best” weekends, it remains very difficult for Colapinto to bring the car into the points. Technical issues and problems during pit stops have not helped either, but it is clear that the Argentine is advancing with difficulty, like someone trying to run with weighted shoes, gritting his teeth and hoping that the faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel is not an illusion, but the beginning of a possible breakthrough.
“I feel like we’re making progress behind the scenes, it’s just that when you don’t see it in results, it’s really hard to keep pushing and working in the same direction because you don’t actually see the payoff on track. It’s something you can’t really rely on when it doesn’t show in races. But I believe we’re improving in many areas and working really well with the team. It will come, but it’s taking longer than I would like,” said the Argentine.
This adaptation is taking longer than expected. Moreover, Colapinto will not have the benefit of further development to try to change the car’s DNA because Alpine has long since shut down development on the 2025 project to focus solely on 2026, the year that will also see a change in power unit supplier. Consequently, the engineers’ focus is entirely on the future.
For now, no short-term changes appear planned for Colapinto’s future, also because Alpine has limited rookie options immediately available, which would mean starting over from scratch. Something the team cannot afford, especially with the critical 2026 season looming, where excuses will no longer be accepted.
However, time is not an unlimited resource in Formula 1, and Colapinto is well aware of this. Every race that passes without points, every difficult qualifying session, every step forward that does not translate into race results weighs heavily on his overall evaluation. Patience is not a stable currency in the paddock. The summer break may offer a chance to recharge, but it is clear that concrete signs of progress will be needed upon return, while keeping in mind the inherent limits of a car that is unlikely to shine.
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