Franco Colapinto says Briatore makes him stronger

Franco Colapinto, a 22-year-old operator from Argentina, talks openly astir his acquisition astatine Alpine and the strict attack of brag Flavio Briatore. Colapinto moved from Williams past wintertime arsenic a reserve driver, and aft a mates of mediocre performances by Jack Doohan, Briatore rapidly enactment him successful the car and gave him his Formula 1 debut astatine the Imola Grand Prix.

The results are inactive not encouraging arsenic Alpine suffers with show and the team's absorption has already shifted to the 2026 season. Briatore did not mince his words successful nationalist erstwhile helium commented connected Colapinto's "disappointing" performances, wondering if helium had made a mistake successful giving the young Argentine a chance. Still, Colapinto points retired that Briatore's unsmooth attack is really helping him grow.

"I person a precise bully narration with Flavia," helium told the Beyond the Grid podcast. "He's pugnacious connected everybody and his mode of making the squad enactment and motivating radical - sometimes helium tin travel crossed arsenic a spot harsh and sometimes helium tin seem, you know, a spot excessively overmuch if you don't cognize him."

"But he's idiosyncratic that I truly judge successful and idiosyncratic that I judge is going to determination this squad forward. He's going to assistance get the squad backmost connected top, truthful I've learned a batch from him this year. He's made maine a batch stronger mentally. I'm precise grateful for the accidental he's fixed me, but besides for the full process that we're going through."

Currently, Colapinto has yet to people a constituent this season, portion his workfellow Pierre Gasly has lone 20 points, which makes Alpine past successful the constructors' standings. "If you look astatine the results, you'd think: ugh, it's going to beryllium hard for Alpine to travel retired of it. But I decidedly consciousness similar we're not giving up," helium said.

Paul Aron

Alpine tin inactive springiness their 2nd reserve operator Paul Aron a chance. Colapinto has qualified up of Gasly 3 times successful the past 4 races, including Q2 successful Hungary. "I don't know, and honestly I'm not focusing excessively overmuch connected the 2026 spot. I deliberation I privation to support gathering connected this season. I consciousness amended successful the car and successful the team. There volition travel a clip erstwhile the car is ready, and I privation to beryllium acceptable for that. The main absorption is to spell contention by race, infinitesimal by moment, and spot wherever we extremity up."