Franco Colapinto, without changes: there will be no debut in Miami

There are no ads or modifications in the status of the Argentine in Alpine for the next Formula 1 appointment.

No changes or ads to make. This is the present of Franco Colapinto with the Alpine team of Formula 1. After having been in his runway substitute function in the first two appointments of the year (Australia and China), the Buenos Aires traveled to Europe and worked from the Estone Simulator and performed a TPC test (cars of at least two years old) in Monza. On the next date, the Miami GP from May 2 to 4 will continue with its reserve work, it will be in the race or from the team base. Its presence in Florida is not confirmed, but the status will remain the same: reserve. The runway substitute position during the Japan GP was occupied by Ryo Hirakawa, today in Haas, while Paul Aron was in Baréin and Saudi Arabia. It is not yet known if Estonian or the Argentine will be in Miami. It is worth clarifying that the substitute position in the circuits is not something that the F1 equipment announced officially. Of course, on the collapint website, among the key dates that were announced on its agenda by 2025, it says: “May 4: Miami Grand Prix. It is not of the most important events of the F1, and Franco will be completely involved in Alpine’s operations throughout the weekend.”

The arrival of Colapinto to Alpine, announced in the first half of January, was an extra pressure for Jack Doohan, in his first season as head of the French team. Oliver Oakes, director of the French team, acknowledged that a lot of noise was generated that was not collaborating from the Australian from the inside. In the middle, the unfounded rumor that the 500 cc pentacampeon son had a six -run contract, counting the last of 2024, (there are no ties like this in F1) only raised the runrun around him. The World Cup pilots have clause (To analyze the runner’s performance and lower it in the case of not fulfilling objectives). In summary, a pilot can have an agreement signed for many years that, if the team wants to remove it, it will do it without tapping or regrets. As a supine example is Checo Pérez, who did not even release the contract signed last May for this year … and the notice fell in December, no time to look for another armchair.

Doohan’s performance had some encouraging moments for his own interests, usually in launched laps, either in classification or training. But in the race he was complicated with the rhythm, especially in Saudi Arabia, where he was as the only representative of Alpine on track after Pierre Gasly’s accident in the first round (He hooked with Yuki Tsunoda). That only raised the noise, given the annoyance of Okes, although the English did not give a clear sign or confirm Doohan until the end of the championship. Although the oceanic walking at some points stood out. Australia and Japan accidents, the latter, for an important mistake when not closing the DRs in the first curve because the attempt in the simulator had come out. These clashes cost a million and a half dollars to the equipment in times of budget roofs.

Alpine’s performance is not good either, he barely added six points (by Gasly in Baréin) in five played races. Although the start is better than that of 2024, season in which it had not left zero after the initial quintet. Nor is the Australian comparison with his experienced companion, who is at the highest moment of his career. It is true that, compared to the other debutants and beyond the car, the Australian walk is far from the shown by Isack Hadjar or Kimi Antonelli.

In European media like The Race, they pointed to the boreal summer holidays (it will begin on August 3 after the Hungary GP) as the Doohan’s performance analysis point by Alpine to make a determination of whether it is necessary to change pilot. In Miami, everything will continue as planned in advance. Of course, behind all this there are two issues that cannot be ignored: performance always sends and the aggregate that behind everything in Alpine is Flavio Briatore, a person who showed several times in his years in F1 that the scruples are not part of their decisions. He once sent Nelsinho Piquet to help Fernando Alonso’s strategy … The future may bring ads, or not. For now, everything follows the course that was raised from the beginning.