Franco Colapinto F1 sponsor mysteriously dropped from Alpine car

F1 News & Gossip

Colapinto sponsor mysteriously dropped from Alpine F1 car

Franco Colapinto is a racer with the Alpine F1 team

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 3 February 2026 13:53

One of the sponsors linked with Alpine F1 star Franco Colapinto has been dropped from the team's 2026 car.

Alpine unveiled their A526 last month with Colapinto and team-mate Pierre Gasly speaking about the team's potential for the 2026 season alongside legendary executive advisor Flavio Briatore.

The team then took their car out on track for the first time at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last week, during F1's private shakedown, the first pre-season testing event of 2026.

But that A526 was missing a key Argentinian sponsor, who had been present on their 2025 car.

Mercado Libre are one of Colapinto's main sponsors, and have played a big role in his racing career, which saw him rise from F2 rookie to the F1 grid within six months back in 2024.

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However, despite having extended Colapinto's contract for the 2026 season, Alpine do not list Mercado Libre as one of their partners on their website, and the technology company are no longer on the Alpine livery either.

According to reports, this removal of the sponsor was not Alpine's choice, with Mercado Libre reportedly rethinking its F1 presence, in what could be bad news for Colapinto given the brand have been one of his main sponsors in his young racing career.

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Is Colapinto under immediate pressure at Alpine in 2026?

Briatore and Alpine opted to hand Argentinian youngster Colapinto his debut with the team back in May 2025, replacing Jack Doohan, and he has also been confirmed for the 2026 season, fighting off competition from reserve driver Paul Aron.

However, Colapinto is still yet to score a point for Alpine across 18 race weekends, and Briatore said during the team's car launch that they're looking for more from the 22-year-old.

The pressure being placed on him by Aron is unlikely to go away in 2026 unless Colapinto can start scoring regular points, with his performances having got much closer to Gasly's in the latter stages of 2025.

But equally, the pressure is on Alpine to provide Colapinto and Gasly with a better car in 2026 amid the new regulations, with their 2025 machinery only good enough to finish rock bottom of the constructors' championship last year.

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F1 Alpine Franco Colapinto