Franco Colapint and an error that left him out on the Q1 of Silverstone

The Argentine pilot struggled with his Alpine indócil to try to advance to the second classification cut in the GP of Great Britain, but everything ended with a mistake.

Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly fought against an indomitable Alpine at each track outlet during the GP of Great Britain, 12th F1 date. The Argentine had shown in the three essay sessions to be the one that best managed to control the confirmed A525, beyond having stayed behind his partner in Friday. In the third practice, again the ex-Williams was the one who felt the most comfortable within the already chronic discomfort of the car and was the best of the two in the end. Thus they reached the classification, with a reduced hope almost to a minimum of being able to advance to Q2. Only one thing could not be done: wrong. Because the car is not, but the error does not enter the equation, ever. And Colapint failed by aggressively stepping on the piano in the last curve, entered a trunk and ended with a slight touch against the distant retaining wall. The Argentine pilot managed to get him out of the gravel, but a few meters later he stopped him and got off.

The end of Colapint in his participation in the classification forced the red flag that stopped everything. Franco’s gestures were eloquent. “Sorry, I lost the rear, surely touched a piano or something,” He told the team on the radio with a clear sorry tone. The Buenos Aires finally was finally, because Gasly, who was behind him in the first attempt (he had once again faster than the Frenchman in the launched turn) finally improved in the resumption of Q1 and even advanced to Q2 when remained 15th. And not only that, the French finally advanced until Q3. The plan for Alpine pilots in the classification was just the one that the Frenchman did: maximize how little they had and fish as well as possible. Therefore, Franco’s error was expensive.

Franco came from closing his best Friday since he passed to Alpine in the Emilia-Romagna GP. After five races struggling to find balance and comfort in the first essays, finally in Silverstone he had managed to do his job efficiently, suffering the weaknesses of the A525 (the weakest car of the category), but always moving forward. And in the same way he had carried out his work on Saturday. But the error in classification was expensive, mainly for the actions of Colapinto within Alpine. Because Gasly, who could barely close four good laps throughout the weekend, got into the third classification segment. The Frenchman maximized everything he had. In the race, probably, goes back for the weakness of the engine and the time it takes to charge the electric driver’s battery. But the rod of the qualy El Galo brand, who had also finished between ten in Austria seven days ago. Briatore said after the Spielberg classification that the two cars were for Q3, a message for the Argentine, who had closed his work in the last position of Q2.

The scope of Franco’s error only Briratore knows it, but he arrived at a time of growing rumors about his future. When Colapinto was announced as Alpine pilot replacing Jack Doohan, the official part spoke of five races, a term that ended in Austria, in the previous appointment. In Spielberg, the continuity of the Argentine was confirmed with career to career. If something was missing, in the week, from Europe a rumor was shot that pointed to the possible landing of Valtteri Bottas instead, after a meeting of the Alpine capo with Toto Wolff.

Alpine’s situation is critical. Last in the World Cup, with the position of General Director that will only be occupied in September, with a new World CEO of Renault about to assume, and with the team waiting to see what he decides for the future and with some ready to make offers of purchase of the team. An error is never good, but that of Colapinto arrived at an awkward and inopportune moment. This Sunday will start from the last place, without margin of failures, and with the aim of maximizing what you can achieve.