Colapinto’s Return to Formula 1 at Imola

After months of anticipation and a media day that placed him in the spotlight, Franco Colapinto was back behind the wheel of his Formula 1 car at the iconic Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix’s initial practice sessions.

Colapinto clocked the 17th fastest time in FP1 and made a notable jump to 13th by the end of FP2, which likely boosted his confidence as he approached the final practice session and qualifying on Saturday.

“It’s fantastic to be back in Formula 1 on a race weekend,” Colapinto shared. “I’m starting to feel good about the car after the first day. There’s still a lot of setup work needed, but I’m becoming more comfortable. I have much to learn and acclimate to, but I’m gradually getting there. By day’s end, I noticed a bit more competition.”

The new Alpine driver described the A525 as “very strong” during the early sessions.

“The cars seem to perform well, especially Pierre’s,” he noted about his teammate Gasly. “I believe we’re in a good position, although qualifying might present challenges with traffic. We have to address that right from the first quarter. Overall, I’m pleased with my first day and look forward to qualifying.”

Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly delivered two surprising performances, finishing sixth in FP1 and then moving up to third in FP2.

“It was a great start for us today. From the very first lap, the car felt better, addressing some of the uncertainties from the last race, so that’s a positive sign,” Gasly commented.

However, FP1 wasn’t without its hiccups for Gasly. Toward the session’s end, he encountered an unexpected incident involving a rabbit on the track.

“We had a bit of an incident at the close of free practice 1, but it was unavoidable,” he mentioned. “The rabbit hopped onto the track before Turn 14 and unfortunately hit my front wing. I couldn’t do anything to prevent it, resulting in some damage to the car.”

Gasly believes Alpine can contend for the top spots this week. “As always, things are very tight. I’m looking to maintain this momentum, find more speed, and break into the top 10 during qualifying. I’m excited for the rest of the weekend at Imola,” he added.

Both drivers experimented with the C5 medium tires and the new C6 soft tires, which made their debut at this Grand Prix.

The final practice session is scheduled for Saturday at 6:30 AM ET, or 12:30 PM local time, followed by qualifying at 10 AM/4 AM local time.