Colapinto Boosted for 2027 Seat as Alpine Waits

Franco Colapinto has given himself a genuine chance of keeping Alpine’s second seat for 2027, but Flavio Briatore says the team is still not ready to make a final call while it watches for possible movement elsewhere in the Formula 1 driver market, especially at Mercedes.

Speaking to The Race, Briatore made clear that Pierre Gasly is Alpine’s only firm commitment for 2027. “For the moment, we have Gasly and we have Colapinto,” said Briatore, Alpine’s executive adviser. “For 2027, we have Gasly because we signed with him long term, and then we see.” He added: “I hope that Franco is doing a very good job from now until the end of the season to continue.”

The reason for that delay is not just Colapinto’s form. Briatore tied Alpine’s wait directly to uncertainty higher up the market, saying Mercedes could still trigger a wider reshuffle if it changes direction. “We don’t know what is going to happen with Mercedes,” he said. “We don’t know if Mercedes will pick up Max, or whatever. So let’s see what we have in the house before we proceed.”

That leaves Colapinto in a strong but still incomplete position. Briatore has become increasingly positive about the Argentine’s progress and said the criticism that surrounded Alpine’s decision to back him has been answered by his development. He said Colapinto is now “much more mature” after the pressure he carried last season, when “every race you don’t know if you stay in the team,” and argued that the calmer environment is helping unlock his potential.

Briatore’s strongest case for keeping him is recent performance. The Race reported that Colapinto has been Alpine’s quicker driver over the last two race weekends, finishing seventh in Miami before following it with a career-best sixth in Canada. In Montreal, he also outqualified Gasly and scored valuable points for Alpine after a disrupted start to the weekend.

“In Canada he’s done a super job,” Briatore said. “On Friday he did not do FP1 because he had a problem with the battery. Then he jumped in the car, qualified and got in the top 10. Stuff like this is not usual.” The Canada result carried extra weight because Colapinto still reached Q3 despite the lost running and then converted that into his best Formula 1 finish.

Briatore has gone further than simply praising one weekend. He said Colapinto has “the talent to be one of the top drivers” in Formula 1, a notable endorsement from a team boss figure who is still keeping the 2027 seat formally open.

That leaves Alpine with a clear short-term test. Gasly’s future is settled, but Colapinto’s case now depends on sustaining the level he has shown in Miami and Canada strongly enough to survive any late market opportunity that could emerge if Mercedes reshapes the grid for 2027.