Alpine has locked in one of their seats for the 2027 season by retaining Franco Colapinto. The decision ends speculation that had been hanging over the paddock, especially after Alpine's executive advisor, Flavio Briatore, had previously hinted at waiting for the driver market to shake out.
Briatore said in May that he wanted to hold off on completing the team's line-up for next season in case either of Mercedes' drivers suddenly became available, in such a scenario as Max Verstappen choosing to move there. But that prospect was extinguished when Verstappen signed a new deal with Red Bull ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix. Alpine then moved quickly to extend Colapinto's stay.
The decision is also a reward for Colapinto's promising performances throughout this season. The Argentine driver scored a seventh-place finish in Miami and then a career-best sixth in Canada. While Alpine's competitiveness waned heading into the summer break, Colapinto still managed to score points in three of the six grands prix before the mid-season pause.
Colapinto, now 23, sits 12th in the drivers' championship with 19 points, while team-mate Pierre Gasly has 44. This is his first full season in F1, following an impressive debut with Williams in 2024. He was then promoted to an Alpine race seat at Jack Doohan's expense from round seven of the 2025 season.
Gasly, who is 10th in the standings and the only driver outside F1's 'big four' teams to have scored a podium in 2026, agreed a new deal with Alpine last September that keeps him with the team until the end of 2028. He had access to Alpine's substantial upgrade package at the Dutch GP, which Colapinto is set to receive at the upcoming Italian GP.
With the line-up now stable, Alpine appears focused on building momentum for the rest of the season and beyond. Keeping Colapinto shows the team's full confidence in his long-term potential.
Baca Juga
Alpine resmi mempertahankan Franco Colapinto untuk F1 2027, mendampingi Pierre Gasly. Era baru dimulai dengan sponsor Gucci. Briatore yakin Colapinto milik F1.
FIA konfirmasi Red Bull unggul di mesin F1 2026, tapi pengumuman ADUO kedua justru menyisakan misteri. Analisis dampak bagi persaingan.
Alpine resmi mempertahankan Franco Colapinto untuk Formula 1 2027. Keputusan ini memastikan stabilitas tim dan tandem dengan Pierre Gasly.
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