After much anticipation, Franco Colapinto has made his return to the racing grid.
Following the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, Alpine opted for a change, bringing in Colapinto as a super sub while Jack Doohan stepped aside. Colapinto, who signed on as a team and reserve driver before the 2025 season, made his debut at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this week. He now has five races to prove himself to Flavio Briatore and the decision-makers in Enstone.
Colapinto’s goal is to “improve performance” during these five races.
“As a driver, I think I’m just trying to take it step by step,” Corapinto remarked at a recent FIA news conference. “I really don’t have extensive knowledge of cars, so a lot is new to me. I want to focus on doing the basics right and hopefully see some results. I’m not expecting anything specific. The team’s performance can vary significantly from track to track.”
“With FP1 and FP2, we still lack clarity on our position. We have a lot to work on as a team. The primary objective is to enhance the car’s speed. We need to find a lot more performance,” he added.
Colapinto made an impressive debut last year, stepping in for Williams after the team let go of Logan Sargent. He finished 12th in his first race at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, scoring points in his subsequent race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
He secured two points last year, achieving eighth place at Azerbaijan and tenth at the US Grand Prix.
This year’s debut is different for him, as he described it as a more “relaxed” experience compared to before.
“It feels a bit different this time. I’m more at ease now. I have experience from racing with another team,” Colapinto explained. “I still carry that feeling. Racing in December isn’t that far back. The excitement at Monza was intense and everything felt new, but here, I’m focused on the team,” he continued. “It’s not just about dreaming of being an F1 driver; it’s about pushing towards the team’s objectives. We aim for consistent results, to stay in the points. That’s our goal. Let’s concentrate on our work and see what we can achieve.”
When asked about the pressure of his limited five races to prove himself, Colapinto expressed eagerness to get back in the car.
“Last year was entirely new and it was tough to absorb all the information. Now, I think I have six races under my belt, unlike the novices in their first season. About the initial races and tire dynamics—I’m not sure. But I feel much closer than I did last year. I had zero experience then. I had only driven 300 kilometers in an F1 car before Monza; it was much harder. I felt more pressure then simply because everything was unfamiliar,” he said.
“This year, having already raced in Formula 1 helps; it’s added experience,” he remarked.
Colapinto is set to take to the track later today for the first FP1 of three practice sessions ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
