Franco Colapinto will drive an unchanged Alpine A525 car on his debut with the team at Formula 1‘s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, according to team-mate Pierre Gasly.
Alpine has been unable to sustain the late-season momentum from 2024 that saw it salvage sixth spot in the Constructors’ Championship into the current campaign.
The Enstone-based squad has accrued points on one occasion during the opening six Grands Prix – when Gasly logged seventh in Bahrain – to languish in ninth place.
But while most teams are set to introduce upgrades at the European season commences at Imola, Gasly indicated that there will be no sizeable changes to the A525.
Asked whether he was expecting a new package post-race last time out in Miami, Gasly told media including Motorsport Week: “No, the car is going to be the same.
“But with that car in Jeddah and Bahrain we were fighting for points. Today, we finished very far away from that, so clearly something didn’t go right this weekend.”
Colapinto ‘excited’ to make Alpine debut
Colapinto is no stranger to being parachuted in mid-season as he conducted his debut in F1 under such circumstances with Williams on Italian soil at Monza in 2024.
“I am very excited to be going into race week for the first time since December,” the Argentine, who has been given an initial five races, expressed.
“I am very grateful for this opportunity and now I have to get up to speed and showcase what I am capable of doing in the car.
“Italy feels like a very special place for me for a number of reasons. It is where I made my Formula 1 debut in Monza last year.
“And now, I go to Imola for my first race with Alpine.
“I have fond memories of winning in Italy for the first time in Formula Renault back in 2020 in Monza.
“Then my first victories in both Formula 3 and Formula 2 came in Imola in 2022 and 2024. Imola is a track I really enjoy.
“It is just a legendary place with some great corners which I am especially looking forward to in a Formula 1 car for the first time.
“I will aim to work hard with the team and try to get on the pace quickly in order to contribute to the team’s ambitions for the weekend.
“It has been a great first few months with everyone at Enstone with some TPC running in the 2023 car and time in the simulator, so I am definitely feeling ready and prepared.”
READ MORE – Williams backs Franco Colapinto to thrive amid ‘turbulent time’ at Alpine
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