What did Alpine say about Franco Colapinto’s disobedience in the United States?

Steve Nielsen, the team director, was blunt about the Argentine’s attitude in overtaking Pierre Gasly at the end of the race, despite the order to maintain positions.

Franco Colapinto will receive a slap on the wrist after the United States GP. The Argentine driver openly disobeyed a direct order from the Alpine team at the end of the race, when he decided to overtake Pierre Gasly, despite the message he had received on the radio. “Dude, we need you to hold our ground.” The Argentine’s response was clear: “What! It’s going much slower.” After that, the man from Buenos Aires went inside on the main straight, with DRS open, and overtook the Frenchman in the first corner.

After the race, Colapinto spoke about the situation with AM850 and lowered his tone: “I think it was the right thing to do, it was my turn to give the position several times and I was really much faster. Pierre had older tires, he was 1s5 slower and it was the best for that moment because Bortoleto was faster. He was 17th and 18th, there is no point in fighting over these things,” he said.

For Steve Nielsen, director of Alpine, it was not meaningless by any means.. In statements published in the team’s official report, the Englishman was clear: “We gave instructions to the pilots to maintain position, as we were managing fuel with both cars and the added variable of the number of laps remaining with the leaders very close. c“As a team, any instructions from the pit wall are final and today we are disappointed that this did not happen, so it is something we will review and address internally.” Before Mexico, Franco will have a long talk.