The 1997 world champion does not believe the Argentine driver has kept his seat at Alpine based on on-track results.
Mercedes may struggle in Las Vegas, says Villeneuve
The Brazilian Grand Prix weekend confirmed Franco Colapinto as Pierre Gasly’s teammate at Alpine for the 2026 season. That year, the French team will race with a Mercedes power unit, hoping to follow in McLaren’s footsteps, which won the world championship as a customer team in both 2024 and 2025.
According to Jacques Villeneuve, the decision to retain Franco Colapinto is not due to the former Williams driver’s on-track performance: “Colapinto’s confirmation reminds me of the era of pay drivers,” said the 1997 world champion in an interview with BetVictor Casino. “Colapinto is nothing more than a driver who pays to finance the team. It wasn’t his results on track that justified this contract extension with Alpine. He has shown flashes of speed, but he is not consistent.”
Expecting challenges for Mercedes in Las Vegas
The Canadian also anticipates difficulties for Mercedes at Las Vegas, contrary to expectations based on their 2024 double victory: “Las Vegas is a fun race, but it could be another chaotic event. Of the four top teams, I expect Mercedes to face some challenges, as they lack a bit of top-end speed.”
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