Could Franco Colapinto Find A Full Time F1 Seat With Alpine After Flavio Briatore Warning?

Saajan Jogia | Jan 10, 2025

Nov 23, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Williams Racing driver Franco Colapinto (43) is introduced before the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Following Franco Colapinto's signing with Alpine as a reserve driver for the 2025 season, the question that arises is could he find a full-time seat in the same team in the near future? Alpine's executive advisor Flavio Briatore stated in late 2024 that he wouldn’t hesitate to part ways with an underperforming F1 driver and with his inclination towards Colapinto, it seems likely that the young talent could make his way onto the grid if one of Alpine’s current drivers fails to meet expectations.

The Williams Academy F2 driver was elevated to the premier class after Logan Sargeant's mid-season ousting on grounds of underperformance. Colapinto then went on to secure four points in the first five races of his F1 debut, surprising everyone on the F1 grid. Despite his rookie crashes later in the season raising doubts for many, his racing prowess trumped everything else.

Colapinto was to remain on the sidelines with Williams in the 2025 season, as Carlos Sainz occupies the seat alongside Alex Albon. However, his influence on Briatore might have helped him secure the reserve driver spot at Alpine, especially given Briatore's admission that Colapinto's performance had caught him by surprise and that he was implementing changes at Alpine with an eye on the future. He said:

“We are very pleased to come to an agreement with Williams Racing to sign Franco Colapinto.

“Clearly, Franco is among the best young talents in motorsport right now. It is fair to say his appearance on the Formula One grid last year caught many, me included, by surprise and his performances have been very impressive for a rookie driver.

“We have an eye on our future and his signing means we have a great pool of young drivers to call upon and work with in developing the team for future success.”

This isn't the first time Briatore has praised Colapinto. The former Renault team principal revealed an interest in having the Argentine in Alpine's 2026 car if an opportunity came by. Briatore told Auto Motor und Sport, as reported by PlanetF1:

“I’m interested in any driver who is fast.

“If there was an opportunity to get Colapinto for 2026, you have to think about it.”

Not only that, Gazzetta Motori stated last year that Briatore had second thoughts after signing Doohan for the 2025 season, given his strong interest in bringing Colapinto onto the team. Briatore's recent warning to Doohan and Pierre Gasly hints that the Alpine's new reserve driver could be promoted to a full-time seat if one of its F1 drivers were to falter. The warning could add further pressure on Doohan to prove his racing prowess in his first year in the premier class. Briatore told Le Parisien:

“We’ll start the year with Pierre and Jack, I can guarantee that. After that, we’ll see as the season progresses.

“I have to get the team in the right condition to get results and the driver is the one who has to conclude the work of nearly 1,000 people behind him. Everyone works for just two people.

“If there’s a driver who isn’t making progress, who isn’t bringing me results, I change him. You can’t be emotional in F1.”