Franco Colapinto penalised after poor Imola GP return

Alpine reserve-turned-race driver Franco Colapinto endured a bruising Saturday after FIA stewards fined the team €600 when he blasted through pit lane at 85.1 km/h—five over Imola’s 80 km/h limit.



The breach occurred in final practice and triggered an immediate summons citing Article 34.7 of the sporting code.



Further investigations



Stewards then probed Colapinto again during qualifying for leaving the garage prematurely, concluding with a one-place grid penalty that pushes him to 16th.



The Argentine rookie, deputising for Jack Doohan, now faces a steep climb on race day.



Crash compounds misery



Colapinto’s afternoon worsened when he lost the A524 in Q1, slid into the barrier and caused a red flag that halted the session.



His time was nonetheless quick enough for Q2, but damage ruled him out, freezing his effort at P15 before the penalty.



Alpine’s weekend under scrutiny



Team principal Flavio Briatore returned to the paddock eyeing a statement performance from the 21-year-old, but administrative slips and the crash invited uncomfortable parallels with Alpine’s error-strewn 2024.



Mechanics spent the evening replacing front-end components and checking gearbox alignment to avoid unscheduled changes that could spark further penalties.



Fine versus sporting sanction



Stewards opted for a monetary punishment rather than a drive-through, acknowledging the low-speed environment yet stressing safety.



Pit-lane speeding remains a sensitive issue after several near-misses in 2023 prompted tougher enforcement.



Colapinto’s response



“It was my fault—I mis-read the dash on a hot-out,” he told Spanish media, vowing to “repay the crew with an aggressive but clean race.”



He praised marshals for swift assistance and thanked the team for a “late-night rebuild.”



Grid-drop ramifications



Starting mid-pack at Imola risks being trapped in dirty air and losing tyre temperature through the Variante Alta sequence.



Alpine strategists may split tyres to create an undercut window if an early safety car emerges.



Spotlight on rookie discipline



Briatore defended his driver, reminding critics that “mistakes are part of a learning curve,” yet emphasised the need for tidier execution on Sundays.



The veteran boss hinted the team’s driver line-up for 2026 remains open, intensifying pressure on Colapinto’s limited audition.



FIA enforcement trend



Stewards issued several small fines across the field this season, preferring educational measures unless repeat offences occur.



However, grid penalties for procedural errors have increased, reflecting the governing body’s push for stricter compliance with garage release protocols.



Redemption route



Colapinto’s pace in practice—just 0.4 s off established team-mate Pierre Gasly—suggests potential if he keeps error-free.



A points finish would mark Alpine’s first since Bahrain and bolster the case for extending his stint beyond Imola.



Fans react



Argentine supporters unfurled blue-and-white banners in the Tosa grandstand, chanting encouragement as the damaged car returned to parc fermé.



Social media largely applauded Colapinto’s transparency but urged calmer judgement under pressure.



Final outlook



With penalties applied, Colapinto will line up 16th, targeting a solid getaway and early moves before the tyres plateau.



Surviving Lap 1 chaos and capitalising on others’ missteps could yet turn a troubled Saturday into a headline-making Sunday surge.
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