Franco Colapinto on first F1 year: growth, challenges, and an uncertain future at Zandvoort. Lewis Hamilton’s adaptation to Ferrari in F1 2025 is proving more complex than expected.

F1 | Dutch GP, Franco Colapinto: “A year flew by quickly, but the future remains uncertain”

Franco Colapinto approaches the Dutch Grand Prix with Alpine carrying the reflections of his first year in Formula 1—a season full of memories, lessons learned, and questions about what the future holds. The Argentine driver, who made his debut twelve months ago in the pinnacle of motorsport, spoke during the Media Day ahead of the Zandvoort weekend about how his life has changed dramatically since receiving the call he had always dreamed of, and the mindset he will bring to the Dutch Grand Prix.

“A year flies by, but the work never stops”

“Since I was very young, this has always been my dream—racing in Formula 1 is the goal I have worked for my entire life,” Franco Colapinto explained. “Getting that news a year ago is a memory I will never forget. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity and happy to still be here a year later. Everything happened so fast that it hardly feels like a year has truly passed.”

The Argentine driver also discussed his outlook for the future: “I can’t say where I’ll be in a year, things change very quickly. The goal remains to grow together with the team, continue pushing Alpine forward, and work hard on developing the car, also with 2026 in mind. The progress we’ve made so far makes me happy, but we need to keep moving in this direction.”

Reflections on the first year and growth

Franco Colapinto also assessed the leap from his debut season to the current one: “Last year, I was thrown onto new circuits without much preparation, whereas now knowing the tracks gives me confidence and allows me to extract more performance from the car,” he explained. “In the last few Grands Prix, we have seen encouraging signs, although we still need to find consistency and avoid complicated weekends like Budapest.”

At the Dutch Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto will aim to use the lessons from his first year as a springboard for the future, navigating a path full of uncertainties but also opportunities to grow and make his mark in Formula 1.