Franco Colapinto Decision Deadline Revealed as Alpine Consider Other Drivers

Alpine managing director Steve Nielsen has praised Franco Colapinto’s pace, claiming the young Argentinian is now on par with teammate Pierre Gasly.



Colapinto replaced Jack Doohan ahead of the Emilia Romagna GP after the Australian struggled with consistency, including a series of crashes.



The 22-year-old has taken time to adapt, but recent results suggest he is finally finding his rhythm in the 2025 F1 campaign.



In their first five races together, Gasly held a 4-1 advantage over Colapinto, but in the last six races the pair are now level at 3-3, indicating the Argentine driver is gaining confidence.



Nielsen highlighted Colapinto’s growing form, noting his ability to match Gasly over a single lap.



“I think it’s difficult for any of the new drivers coming in,” Nielsen said. “We’ve seen ebb and flow in lots of them that have come from F2—five came from F2 last year, which is good.



“Franco had a difficult start. I think we’ve seen that equalise and calm down a little bit. He’s now had the measure of Pierre in the last two or three races. So he’s on a par with him, which is good.



“We don’t know where that slope will end [or] whether it’s going to continue. We hope it does. And then we’ll make our decision on Franco and whoever else is in the frame when we have to.



“But we’re a few races away from that yet.”



Colapinto’s form has also been influenced by Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore, a motorsport veteran known for his sharp evaluation of driver performance.



Following the summer break, Colapinto has out-qualified Gasly in two of the last three races, including promising performances at the Dutch GP and approaching the Singapore GP.



The improvement raises questions about Doohan’s future with Alpine, as the rookie was dropped after six races.



Nielsen confirmed Doohan remains part of the Alpine programme, leaving open the possibility for a return depending on circumstances later in the season.



“Jack is still part of our programme,” Nielsen said. “He drove for us the first few races of the season. We made a change. Franco is now in the car.



“We constantly assess our options. As I said at the beginning, we’ll make decisions when we have to, but I can’t give you an update on if or when he will drive again.”



With Colapinto showing consistent progress, Alpine must balance nurturing young talent with the pressure for results in a highly competitive championship.



The next few races will likely be decisive in determining both Colapinto’s standing and Doohan’s future within the team.
The post Franco Colapinto Decision Deadline Revealed as Alpine Consider Other Drivers appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk .