Franco Colapinto will continue in F1 with Alpine in 2026

ByDavid Mitchell
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Confirmation from the Enstone team has arrived and the Argentine will be there for the first time since the start of a World Cup season.

Franco Colapinto was chosen by Alpine for the second seat in 2026. As AM850.com had anticipated, the decision of the Enstone team would come in November and the public competition that Flavio Briatore had announced between the Argentine and Paul Aron for the position of Pierre Gasly’s partner was won by the Argentine. This was confirmed by the French team before the start of the San Pablo GP, the 21st round of the World Championship.

Colapinto will thus be the first Argentine to be on the track at the start of a Formula 1 season since GastĂłn Mazzacane did so in the 2001 World Cup. with the Prost team. Furthermore, the man from Buenos Aires will also be the first Argentine to have appearances in three consecutive F1 seasons since Carlos Reutemann.

With his ownership confirmed, the Argentine will also participate in the preseason tests, always important to get into rhythm with a new car, but which will rise in category until reaching the fundamental in the run-up to the 2026 world championship, which will come with changes in the technical regulations and the teams will debut new chassis and engines.

Colapinto made his F1 debut at the 2024 Italian GP with Williams, being anointed as a starter from his reserve role to replace Logan Sargeant.in a nine-race program. His first five performances were surprising, with points scored in Azerbaijan and the United States, but then came a slump, which was reinforced by major accidents in Brazil (two) and Las Vegas. With no place on Grove’s team, Alpine recruited him to be a reserve in 2025. Since his arrival, the pressure on Jack Doohan, who had been chosen to take the place of the outgoing Esteban Ocon, has been increasing. Finally, after the Miami GP (sixth date) the Australian was demoted to reserve and Colapinto got on the A525 from the Emilia-Romagna GP.

The start was difficult for the Buenos Aires native. It was difficult for him to take control of the worst car in the category, weak from its birth, but even weaker due to Briatore’s decision not to make any evolution to allocate every hour of work to the 2026 car. Getting rhythm was difficult for Colapinto, who showed sparks, but no consistency.

Franco began to improve since the Hungarian GP. He found more confidence, rhythm and the consistency necessary to not be left alone in flashes, and began to challenge his teammate Gasly, whom he beat in qualifying and races on several occasions. To this rebound we must add a relevant fact for Briatore’s decision: the financial contribution that came from the hand of Colapinto and that was strongly reflected with the Mercado Libre campaign in the trilogy of the United States, Mexico and Brazil. In other times, drivers like JosĂ© MarĂ­a LĂłpez and Esteban Guerrieri fought for the dream of F1 and stumbled due to having a thin wallet. In the case of Franco, the opposite happened.

Franco’s candidacy for 2026, which at some point was in doubt due to his performance, began to go wrong. Already in Singapore, all roads pointed to the renewal of the Argentine and all that was missing was the announcement. From Alpine they waited until the last minute, but it arrived.

With the confirmation of continuity as starter, Franco will receive an important dose of tranquility, but his challenges will also grow. Because he will start from scratch like everyone else, he will have preseason and the same hours as Gasly on the new car. Of course, we will have to see if David Sanchez, technical director of Alpine, hits the right note with the 2026 chassis and if Don Flavio’s commitment to closing the own engine program to become a Mercedes customer delivers a competitive car. Alpine, and fundamentally Briatore, cannot afford another year like 2025.

David Mitchell
David Mitchell

As a passionate sports journalist with over a decade of experience, I strive to uncover the heart and soul behind every game. Supported by a dedicated team of fellow enthusiasts and storytellers, I am committed to delivering insightful and engaging content that connects fans worldwide. Together, we celebrate the victories, challenges, and unifying spirit of sports through every article we craft.