Franco Colapinto Targets Breakthrough Points in His Madrid Debut

Franco Colapinto has already turned the page. The Argentine Alpine driver left behind the frustration of the Italian Grand Prix and set his sights on Formula 1's debut in Madrid. Despite having qualified eighth and reaching third place on the second restart at Monza, a track exit dropped him to sixteenth place, although he managed to recover to ninth position to score two points.

"After taking some time to reflect on the race weekend in Monza, I think as a team we can be proud of our performance. The pace we showed was solid in every session and although I'm frustrated by my race, we managed a good recovery to finish in the points" declared Colapinto in official Alpine statements.

The Argentine did not hide his disappointment at not having taken advantage of a promising opportunity. However, the overall analysis of the weekend is positive, Alpine showed a significant step forward with the upgrade package that Pierre Gasly debuted in Zandvoort and that Colapinto was able to use in Monza. The A526's performance in Italy was solid, with the Argentine showing competitive pace that allowed him to fight at the front of the grid.

Now the challenge is Madrid, Formula 1 lands for the first time at the new Madring circuit, a track that mixes urban and permanent sections with 22 corners and a banked corner that promises to be one of the key points of the weekend: "The circuit seems quite particular and we will have to learn fast to achieve a good pace. Some of the corners are really very different, the banking at turn 12 will be fun to drive for real and it's clear that finding the pace will be key to having a good weekend" explained Colapinto.

The Argentine has a special connection with the city: "I used to live in Madrid so it's a city I know very well and I have great memories of my time here. It will be very special for me to compete on this circuit and I must say Formula 1 has done a great job in preparing the event" confessed the driver. The emotional connection with the Spanish capital adds an extra incentive for a weekend that is already historic.

Colapinto's goal for Madrid is clear, he seeks to score points and continue consolidating the team's progress: "We showed in the last race that our upgrade package has good pace and we still have much more to learn about it, so our goal in Madrid is to make the most of it and finish in the points again" he stated. Alpine trusts that the car's evolution, combined with the Argentine's ability to adapt quickly to new tracks, will allow them to repeat the Monza performance.

The 2026 season is approaching its final stretch and every point is vital in the fight for the midfield positions in the constructors' championship. Alpine has shown that the A526 has potential, and Colapinto is determined to extract the maximum from it. The Madrid debut is a golden opportunity to consolidate the team's progress and dream of a season finale that lives up to expectations.