Franco Colapinto will reportedly be driving for Alpine at the British Grand Prix next weekend, barring any exceptional circumstances. The Argentine prospect was announced on a five-race deal earlier this season, but his performances have generated speculation about his short-term future. The 21-year-old was parachuted into a chaotic scene at Alpine, replacing rookie Jack Doohan after just six rounds of the 2025 campaign.
This was not, however, new territory for Colapinto, who previously stepped in for Logan Sargeant when the American racer was dropped by Williams in 2024. However, unlike during his time at Williams, Colapinto’s arrival was not paired with an immediate upturn in results. The Pilar-born racer hasn’t finished higher than 13th in a Grand Prix with Alpine and has struggled to extract pace from the A525 in qualifying.
This left fans fearing for his F1 future heading into the Austrian GP. This weekend’s race will be Colapinto’s fifth in Alpine colours, and the press release confirming the swap with Doohan listed five races as his trial period behind the wheel.
“Having reviewed the opening races of the season, we have come to the decision to put Franco in the car alongside Pierre for the next five races,” Flavio Briatore explained after the announcement.
He went on to add: “We also know the 2026 season will be an important one for the team, and having a complete and fair assessment of the drivers this season is the right thing to do in order to maximise our ambitions next year.
For the latest breaking stories and headlines, sign up to our Daily Express F1 newsletter, or join our WhatsApp community here.
“We continue to support Jack at the team, as he has acted in a very professional manner in his role as a race driver so far this season. The next five races will give us an opportunity to try something different, and after this time period, we will assess our options.”
According to The Race, however, there will not be a complete reassessment of the driver line-up in Austria this weekend. Their report explains that the Argentine starlet is expected to continue with Team Enstone on a ‘race-by-race basis’, giving him a chance to prove his worth to Briatore and the rest of the Alpine hierarchy.
As per the F1 rules, Alpine can only utilise one more driver this season before hitting the limit of four. Paul Aron is the next in line from the team’s reserve stable, while Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are waiting patiently for opportunities on the sidelines.
