Alpine has confirmed that Gabriele Mini will take over Franco Colapinto’s Formula 1 car for FP1 in Mexico City.
Mini has been part of the Alpine Academy since 2023, and the team has supported him throughout his F3 and F2 campaigns. In 2024, Mini finished his F3 season as runner-up, narrowly missing the championship.
He then made an impressive F2 debut, filling in for Ollie Bearman in Baku, where he scored a podium in his maiden race. His first full F2 season was tougher, with Italian racing for PREMA and struggling to find consistency in the machinery.
However, this year, after moving to MP Motorsport, Mini came into his own. For the opening stages of the season, he took the championship lead. With two wins and seven other podiums, he now sits fourth, with 44 points behind Rafa Camara.
Mini has taken part in multiple Testing of Previous Cars Programmes [TPC] throughout the year, but Mexico will mark his first time stepping into current machinery.
Mini on the ‘special moment’
The Italian expressed his excitement and gratitude for the opportunity: “I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the A526 and taking part in my first ever Free Practice 1 in Formula One.”
“Having been part of the Alpine Academy for several years and progressing through the junior ranks, competing in an official Formula One session is going to be a really special moment for me.
“Thank you to Flavio, Steve and everyone at the team for their trust and for the opportunity. I’ve been doing a lot of preparation back at base in Enstone, spending time on the simulator and working closely with the engineers to make sure I’m as ready as possible and able to put my best foot forward both personally and for the team.
“My goal is to do the best possible job on track and help provide valuable data and feedback to the team to hopefully set up a successful weekend, where both Pierre and Franco aim to score points by the end of it.”
Mini won’t be the only junior stepping up in FP1, with many teams using Mexico as an opportunity to field their rookie drivers.
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