Franco Colapinto hints at Alpine 'sparks' as new F1 target identified

Franco Colapinot has joked there are "sparks" between himself and Alpine following the 2022 World Cup final as he named his new target for the team. 

Colapinto has stepped up to replace Jack Doohan for the next five races up to and including the Austrian Grand Prix, starting from Imola this weekend, with the Argentine set to partner Pierre Gasly. 

In 2022, Argentina beat France on penalties to lift its third FIFA World Cup, as Colapinto light-heartedly referred to the 'tension' this created.

On a more serious note, he also detailed how the situation in replacing Doohan was "not nice" as he identified his major target of "getting the basics right."

"Everything is new again, and we start from zero, and it wasn't the nicest after having the last nine races of last year to step out, but it was good to reflect on what happened and to learn from it," Colapinto told media including RacingNews365.

"It is never nice circumstances when it happens like this, you step in to take another driver's seat, but you never choose the moment you are ready for F1, but I'll try my best to maximise for the team.

"I don't know the car, so a lot of new things are coming, and I just want to do the basics right, but I am not expecting any kind of result, we need to find a little performance, which is going to come with a lot of work, so that is the main goal, and then of course, after the five races, we will see.

"Renault and Alpine have a massive history, and it is a great step in my career to be racing for them, and it is a bit tricky after the World Cup.

"There are some sparks there, but it is more from the French to the Argentines. We are fine as we beat them, but I am really happy here and have a good relationship with the engineers.

"Of course, the new faces, new names, everything on the set-up and settings is new and different, so we need to work on this, but I am sure we are going to do a good job."