Franco Colapinto makes 'punishing' admission as Alpine woes continue

Franco Colapinto has conceded that Alpine's current competitive situation is "punishing" for the team and also for him and team-mate Pierre Gasly.

Alpine is currently rooted to the foot of the constructors' table, with just 20 points, with the team firmly switching attention over to the 2026 machine, when the team is to become a customer Mercedes runner.

Colapinto is yet to score a point since being drafted in to replace Jack Doohan at Imola, and was recently involved in a team orders saga with Gasly in the United States. 

However, despite this, as RacingNews365 recently wrote, the Argentine is to remain for 2026, having fended off Paul Aron for the second seat alongside Gasly. 

Speaking before Mexico City, Colapinto explained how he and Gasly were not showing their true potential, due to the car limitations.

"I think it is tricky the situation that the team is in," Colapinto told media, including RacingNews365. 

"We of course knew that 2025 was going to be a transition year, but it has been more tricky than we were expecting, and the reality is that we have been very close to each other in these last six races.

"Personally, I've had fighting pace, I've been quite strong, but it is also true that we cannot show any real personal pace sometimes.

"Because at the end of the day, we are a bit too far away, and those two or three-tenths that we are lacking to compete with others are punishing for us, and that makes it trickier."