Franco Colapinto experienced an ordeal in Las Vegas

The Argentine closed a difficult weekend in the city of Nevada. In the race, a touch he suffered at the start compromised his chances.

Las Vegas does not suit Franco Colapinto. At least Sin City didn’t treat him well on his first two visits with Formula 1.. In 2024, a shocking hit by his Williams against the wall in qualifying was the final bill. This weekend, with Alpine, wasn’t much better. There were no major accidents, but there was a lack of competitiveness in his A525, which was even more complicated after a crazy crash at the start that complicated it for the rest of the 50 laps. The Argentine driver was 17th and last among those who reached the end of the 22nd and penultimate round of the 76th Formula 1 season. Finally, he would advance two places after the technical exclusion of the two McLarens.

Qualifying under the intense rain was the only moment that could bring a smile to the Argentine during the Las Vegas Street Race weekend as he was able to advance to Q2 and get the save of the day by controlling his Alpine from an almost certain hit against the wall. The rest, nothing to highlight. Because he didn’t have a good pace and suffered with the grip in testing, he was clearly slower than Pierre Gasly, his teammate in the Enstone team, and the 50 laps of the race were a real ordeal.

Colapinto started from 15th place with a different strategy than most: he started with hard tires. But the bet was broken by the carom that was generated at the start of the race. Gabriel Bortoleto entered completely past the first corner (the Brazilian acknowledged his mistake and apologized in subsequent statements) and took Lance Stroll on board. The Canadian from Aston Martin (for once he was innocent in an incident) collided with Alex Albon’s Williams. And it didn’t end there: the Thai hit the Argentine’s A525 from behind.

For Alpine it was cardboard full. Because Pierre Gasly also suffered in the carom, who started tenth and was the strong card for the French to try to score points. The Frenchman spun and went to the bottom.

Albon’s hit damaged the diffuser of Franco’s Alpine and lost three points of downforce. “Three points? Oh my God!” Colapinto said. in the radio chat with his engineer during the race. The 50 laps were a struggle. The lack of load in the rear further increased the chronic grip problem that the A525 has and the Buenos Aires native was the slowest driver on the track for almost the entire competition.

Without being able to defend himself from the attacks of those behind him and without being able to attack, each car that quickly passed him made a huge difference. Kimi Antonelli, for example, did 15 seconds in seven laps after overtaking him. Colapinto’s best moment was after the pit stop, with the medium tires and the car with less fuel, the best lap times arrived.

Colapinto finished 15th and closed the classifier (Albon, Bortoleto and Stroll abandoned, plus the disqualifications of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri). A difficult weekend for the Argentinein which he was away from his partner and the rest. The blow in Brazil, with the chassis change included, was not the best way to face the final part of the season. Las Vegas was an ordeal that the Buenos Aires native had to endure. There are two appointments left (Qatar and Abu Dhabi) to close Alpine’s fateful 2025 (Gasly was 15th and did not add) and to begin planning 2026, the year that Franco is looking forward to.