Franco Colapinto took over Jack Doohan’s seat at Alpine following the Miami Grand Prix, leaving the Australian sidelined just six rounds into the campaign.
Since then, Colapinto has endured a difficult season, partly due to the Alpine car being far from competitive this year; even the experienced Pierre Gasly has struggled with the A525.
However, because Colapinto has made a strong impression in recent races, Alpine has decided to continue with him.
That means next year the 22-year-old will once again partner with Gasly at the French F1 team, and it is expected that Alpine will finalise and announce Colapinto’s contract extension around the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, which is the closest race on the calendar to Colapinto's native Argentina.
Last year, the round at Interlagos saw a large turnout of Argentine supporters, and a similar atmosphere is expected this year.
Also in 2024, Alpine surprised everyone with a double podium finish in Brazil — a result that is unlikely to be repeated this season.
Team Enstone has shifted its full focus to developing its 2026 car, something reflected in the team’s recent performances.
The French squad currently sits firmly at the bottom of the constructors’ championship, and the grands prix in Austin and Mexico City proved disastrous. The chances of fighting for points in Brazil are therefore minimal.
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Big ambitions in 2026
Next year, Alpine will compete with Mercedes power units. Despite a difficult 2025 season, there is a strong sense of optimism within the team about the future.
There is a belief that Mercedes power will allow Alpine to once again fight for points on a regular basis — something Gasly will certainly be hoping for as the one-time grand prix winner recently extended his contract until the end of 2028.
It remains unclear how many years Colapinto’s new deal will cover. The Argentine is still part of the Williams driver programme, which has effectively loaned him to Alpine.
Colapinto will undoubtedly be eagerly anticipating the 2026 season, when he will race in a Mercedes-powered car as he did for Williams in 2024.
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