Despite matching his teammate’s pace, the Argentine sensation faces a precarious future as Alpine reportedly stalls his contract to keep a seat open for Fernando Alonso’s return.
Franco Colapinto is now in his first full season with Alpine from the very start of a campaign, having joined the team mid-way through 2025 as the replacement for Jack Doohan. It is worth recalling that the Argentine driver also previously entered Formula 1 as a mid-season stand-in at Williams — replacing Logan Sargeant and impressing enough to generate serious attention — before losing out on a permanent seat following the signing of Carlos Sainz.
His time at Alpine has not been without its complications. The team made a deliberate strategic choice to channel most of their 2025 resources toward the 2026 regulations cycle, which appears to be paying dividends now. Despite working within those constraints, Colapinto has already opened his points account with the French outfit and has matched Pierre Gasly on performance over several race weekends.
Despite those encouraging signs, Colapinto's future at Alpine remains unresolved. He has been operating under constant evaluation, with his on-track results under the microscope at every round. Beyond pure performance, his situation carries additional weight given the commercial backing he brings from Argentine sponsors — a factor that adds both value and complexity to his position within the team.
Meanwhile, Gasly has been consistently positioned as the undisputed lead driver in Flavio Briatore's project, making it highly unlikely that Alpine would move him aside. That reality places Colapinto in the more exposed seat — one that could come under threat if a high-profile name becomes available on the market.
What Is Actually Happening With Colapinto's Alpine Contract?
One of the most talked-about stories in recent paddock conversations centres on Fernando Alonso's increasingly uncertain future at Aston Martin, following yet another deeply disappointing chapter with Lawrence Stroll's team. While retirement has been floated as an option, the two-time world champion has been strongly linked with a return to Alpine — the team where he worked closely with Flavio Briatore during key stretches of his career.
According to Canal+, the well-established French broadcaster, Alonso's potential return to Alpine may be directly connected to Colapinto's contractual limbo. The outlet reported that Colapinto is performing well, arrives with sponsors and financial backing, and yet still does not have a signed contract.
The suggestion from Canal+ was that Alpine is deliberately holding off on formalising Colapinto's deal, and that the reason for the wait is a straightforward one: they may be saving the seat for the return of the boss — Alonso. The broadcaster expressed strong belief that the move is taking shape behind the scenes.
