F1 boss admits mistakes over driver call-up

Alpine boss Flavio Briatore has admitted that he and his team may have made an error in their handling of Franco Colapinto's call-up.

The Argentine was moved up to replace rookie driver Jack Doohan after just six races of the Australian's rookie season, driving alongside Pierre Gasly.

After impressing during the 2024 season at Williams as a stand-in for Logan Sargeant, Colapinto was signed by Alpine as a reserve driver, putting immediate pressure on Doohan's seat.

Since being promoted, however, Colapinto has failed to score a single point across nine race weekends, and Alpine are rock bottom of the constructors' standings because of that.

During the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, Briatore gave an update on Colapinto's future, suggesting that the management of the 22-year-old could have been dealt with better.

"These cars are very, very heavy, very quick. And for a young driver to put in Formula 1, maybe it was not the timing to have Franco in Formula 1. Maybe he needs another year or two to be part of Formula 1. And I know that, in the end, what is important is the result.

"He tries very hard. He tries very hard with the engineers to please them in everything, but it’s not what I expect from Colapinto."

Speaking about Doohan's replacement, Briatore continued: "We changed, bringing in Franco Colapinto. And maybe Colapinto, too much pressure to be in Formula 1. Last year, he had two or three races with James [Vowles], where he did very well. But maybe to be in the team with a good driver like Pierre, and always in competition with the team-mate, maybe we put too much pressure on him. I think we need to consider that.

"Sometimes we believe… the driver is a human being and we need to understand what’s going on in the heads of these kids. These are young kids - 19, 20, 22, 23 years old - and I think it’s our mistake to underestimate the human part of the driver.

"We’re always looking at the timing. Maybe I missed something in the management of the driver, Colapinto. For the future, honestly, I don’t know."

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Who will race for Alpine in 2026?

Unless his performances dramatically improve soon, Colapinto is unlikely to be handed a new contract with Alpine.

The Enstone-based outfit were rumoured to be weighing up moves for Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, but both of those experienced racers have been snapped up by Cadillac for 2026.

Doohan, of course, remains an option having only previously been given six races to try and impress the team, while Alpine have a number of other young drivers within their ranks, too.

And then there's Mick Schumacher, who races for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship, and has started 2025 off well, achieving three podium finishes in five races in the hypercar class.

Schumacher has expressed his desire to once again race in F1, having previously raced two seasons in 2021 and 2022 for Haas.

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