Franco Colapinto’s future with Alpine in doubt after F1 Austrian GP struggles. Franco Colapinto continues to struggle with Alpine.

Franco Colapinto continues to deliver unconvincing performances, and his F1 future with Alpine is no longer guaranteed.

Franco Colapinto’s Formula 1 journey with Alpine began only recently, but it could already be nearing its end. The Argentine driver replaced Jack Doohan starting from the Imola Grand Prix, yet his performances so far have not impressed. In Austria, he endured another difficult weekend, topped off with a five-second penalty in the final stages of the race.

The incident involved Franco Colapinto and Oscar Piastri, who was lapping the Alpine driver. Franco Colapinto failed to spot the McLaren behind him and unintentionally pushed it onto the grass. The maneuver earned him a five-second penalty. While the penalty didn’t affect his already disappointing result, it highlighted a mistake that shouldn’t happen at this level.

To make matters worse, he was also involved in a collision with Yuki Tsunoda, who misjudged his braking into Turn 4, damaging Franco Colapinto’s car. Although the fault was with the Japanese driver, the incident only further compromised Franco Colapinto’s race. He had already trailed his teammate in qualifying as well.

The situation inside Alpine
According to the latest paddock rumors, Franco Colapinto’s standing within the Alpine team may have changed over the Austrian GP weekend. His future with the team is uncertain—especially given how quickly the French outfit replaced Doohan before him.

Flavio Briatore has famously referenced “five races” as a trial period. If Imola is considered Franco Colapinto’s debut, then Spielberg marked his fifth race. While a seat change ahead of Silverstone is unlikely, the initial evaluation phase is over, and Franco Colapinto has certainly failed to impress.

After the race, the Argentine commented: “The car is hard for me to drive and feels inconsistent. I didn’t have the confidence to push through the fast corners. It was a tough weekend even though I made some progress. I talk to Flavio every day, but I’m not worried about being replaced.”