Franco Colapinto has acknowledged the areas where he must improve from the British Grand Prix as he battles to cement his Formula 1 future with Alpine.
Colapinto was drafted alongside Pierre Gasly after the Anglo-French marque decided to evaluate its driver line-up by benching rookie Jack Doohan seven races into 2025.
The Argentine was given an initial five-race contract, which expired last weekend, but the Enstone-based team has decided to stick with Colapinto for the British GP.
Now effectively on a race-by-race contract, Colapinto is bidding to impress at Silverstone, a track where he has previously driven F1 machinery for Williams during FP1 last season.
“I think every time it’s race-by-race. I think I’m glad to be here,” he told media including Motorsport Week when asked if the uncertainty around his F1 future has been disconcerting.
“Racing in Silverstone is a great track. I was here when I did my FP1 a year ago, so a long time, and a lot of things happened since then.
“It’s great to be racing in Silverstone. I love this track. It’s very enjoyable.”
Mercedes reserve Valtteri Bottas has been rumoured to be in contact with Alpine for a possible race seat, with the team to use the German marque’s power units from 2026.
Following the Austrian Grand Prix last weekend, Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore insinuated that it was up to Colapinto to protect his future at the team.
That said, while Colapinto believes he needs to work the most on his one-lap pace, he feels that the team also needs to push the development of the car to bring it up to par in the midfield.
“I am very quick in the races. I am struggling a bit more in qualifying,” he asserted.
“I know that there is things to find on our side, but also, I think, in general, as a team, we need to still do a step with the car.
“We are not quite there to score points every race, that is what we want, and I think we need to make things better on every side as well, a part of just focusing on that.”
Colapinto still not ‘clicking’ with Alpine
Colapinto impressed last season with his nine-race Williams cameo. Yet, with Alpine, he hasn’t been able to recapture the same form and rival team-mate Pierre Gasly.
The 22-year-old has attributed his difficulties in adapting to the inherent characteristics of the A525 as an explanation.
“Last year the Williams was not easy to drive either, and the F1 cars are difficult. It is not like going for a Sunday ride, unfortunately, but I think it is what we do, it is what we are paid to do,” revealed Colapinto.
“It is driving the car as quick as we can, and I think just to drive it as quick as we can, they just need to be probably a bit more comfortable, a bit more adaptive to that, and there are just things that sometimes are not clicking.”
Alpine has struggled with a top-speed deficit in the turbo-hybrid era, triggering the decision to ditch its engine programme and become a Mercedes customer.
At Silverstone, Colapinto believes this could act as a limitation, but he hopes the racing gods roll the dice in terms of the weather in his and the team’s favour.
“I’m just, I think, very excited for the weekend ahead,” he said.
“We know it’s our home race. It’s probably a very high PU sensitivity track, so it’s not going to be easy for us, but I think we have a good car for the high-speed corners.
“It’s going to be probably some rain as well that might help us a bit, so let’s see how it goes.”
READ MORE — Why Franco Colapinto has been unable to replicate Williams exploits at Alpine
