Franco completed 120 laps with Alpine in Bahrain and stressed the importance of pushing the A526 harder in order to gather useful information ahead of the start of the 2026 season.
The Argentinian wrapped up one of the Formula 1 preseason testing days at the Bahrain International Circuit behind the wheel of the Alpine A526, setting the sixth-fastest time and completing a total of 120 laps. That placed the team among those that covered the most mileage in the session, standing out in contrast to other figures from the test.
In that context, Colapinto collected relevant data on the car’s behavior under demanding conditions and explained: “I’m pleased to finish my preseason testing positively with 120 laps completed in what was a very busy day in the car.”
The 22-year-old driver, responsible for the on-track running during that stint, noted that the Bahrain tests followed a series of previous sessions between Barcelona and Sakhir, with the aim of deepening understanding of the new cars and their response across different scenarios.
Colapinto highlighted that, despite the challenges inherent in developing a new-generation car, the team made steady progress and emphasized that “we have been progressively developing our program between Barcelona and Bahrain, as there is so much to learn and understand about these new cars.” His day featured a combination of long runs and setup evaluations, focused on gathering useful information for Alpine’s engineers in Enstone and fine-tuning key performance parameters ahead of the season opener.
Beyond the numbers, the Argentine driver pointed out that hot conditions persisted throughout the day, adding an important variable for calibrating tires and thermal management on the A526, both critical aspects under the current technical regulations. He also remarked that “it was beneficial to start pushing the car a little more and work on different setup aspects,” underlining the value of testing the machine in situations that will offer direct comparison with race data.
In terms of sporting planning, Alpine expects Pierre Gasly to take over the on-track duties on the final day of testing, following Colapinto’s work, with the goal of completing data collection before closing preparations in Bahrain.
This sequential testing approach, combining different drivers and sessions, is designed to give the team the most complete technical picture possible and establish a solid foundation for the adjustments that will need to be applied ahead of the start of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship.
With the next stop set for Australia and the opening Grand Prix scheduled for early March, the work carried out in Bahrain will be crucial for Alpine to turn accumulated knowledge into effective performance during the season.