According to reports from Germany, Franco Colapinto is set to part ways with Alpine at the end of the season. The hunt for his replacement is already on – and keep an eye on Fornaroli.
As reported by Auto Motor und Sport, Colapinto will not continue with the French team beyond 2025. The Argentine joined the team mid-season in Imola, stepping in for Jack Doohan, but his debut campaign hasn’t been particularly convincing. Unlike his solid performances last year with Williams, Colapinto has struggled, with costly errors at circuits such as Imola and Silverstone.
Alpine’s Options: Who Gets the Seat?
This opens a real dilemma for Alpine. On paper, the team has several drivers within reach – Doohan, Colapinto, Aron, Martins, Tsolov, and Italy’s Gabriele Minì. Yet, none of them seem ready to lead the A526 into 2026.
Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez are bound for Cadillac, which leaves the Formula 2 front-runners in the spotlight. Among them are Dunne (McLaren academy driver) and Fornaroli, who is currently leading the championship and, crucially, is not tied to any F1 academy. A major advantage that could tempt Flavio Briatore.
Colapinto’s Difficult Season – and the Testing Crash
The news also comes at a delicate time for the young Argentine, who recently suffered a crash during Pirelli testing at the Hungaroring over the summer break. He hit the barriers heavily at Turn 11, but Alpine confirmed his condition with an official statement: “Franco was checked on-site at the medical center and is in good health.”
No footage of the crash has emerged, but Alpine’s communication suggests the impact was significant.
Colapinto’s second chance in F1 has turned out to be a difficult one. He has struggled to match Pierre Gasly, beating his French teammate on only a handful of occasions. Notably, though, he did finish ahead of Gasly in the Hungarian GP, taking 18th place compared to Gasly’s 19th, and outqualifying him 14th vs 17th.
Photo: BWT Alpine F1 Team
