The Canadian GP reignited Franco Colapinto’s momentum. The Argentine’s return to the car, stepping in for rookie Jack Doohan at Alpine, didn’t start in the best possible way. The 2003-born driver has needed some time to push the car to its limits, but by his fourth race this year, he was finally able to smile again in Montréal.
In qualifying, he outpaced his more experienced teammate by four tenths, reached Q2, and secured 12th place, while Gasly had to settle for P20. In the race, he didn’t score any points, but finishing 13th — behind Yuki Tsunoda and ahead of both Gabriel Bortoleto and Pierre Pierre (15th at the flag) — was a significant first step toward what remains his biggest goal for now: securing a seat for 2026.
Franco Colapinto smiles again in Montréal, but more is needed to stay
The results from Canada have boosted his stock. A strong Saturday performance and a solid, mistake-free Sunday… Franco did exactly what had been expected of him since his debut at the Imola GP last month. In his defense, getting back into the car (his previous GP was Abu Dhabi 2024) and immediately facing the first European triple-header certainly didn’t make things easy.
Returning to the factory to regroup and clear his mind before heading to Montréal was a much-needed and productive step. But now, to stay, he must make the next leap forward. Gasly has scored 11 points in 2025, and for now, the second Alpine seat — along with the second Sauber seat held by Gabriel Bortoleto — are the only ones that have yet to enter the top ten.
Points will be necessary to earn a contract renewal. A good weekend doesn’t guarantee he’ll beat Gasly again, but if he can manage it on multiple occasions, a top-ten finish will only be a matter of time. That said, it will also depend on how much patience Alpine’s management decides to show. Both the French outfit and Red Bull have shown a tendency to make rash decisions.
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