Alpine confirm decision on last-placed driver's F1 future

Alpine have confirmed their driver lineup for 2026, after months of speculation surrounding an underperforming rookie.

Pierre Gasly remains the team's lead driver, and indeed the only driver to score points for them this year, and will have Franco Colapinto alongside him once again next year.

The Frenchman has raced alongside two different drivers at Alpine this season thanks to a brutal mid-season driver swap which saw Jack Doohan replaced by Colapinto after failing to pick up any points in his first six races.

But since returning to the grid full-time, Colapinto has also remained point-less and currently sits at the bottom of the drivers' championship alongside ex-F1 driver Doohan.

The Argentine racer has continued to compete with Alpine this season on a rolling contract, prompting much debate over whether the the 22-year-old would retain his seat for next season or not.

Colapinto signs contract for first full-time F1 season

There are just four rounds left of the 2025 championship and Alpine currently sit at the bottom of the constructors' standings with just 20 points.

But Briatore and his F1 outfit certainly seem to have seen enough from Colapinto to decide that he deserves to keep his seat, on what they have now confirmed is a 'continuation of the multi-year agreement' they made with the former Williams star earlier this year.

In an official team statement, the 75-year-old said: "I’ve been following Franco’s progress throughout his time in Formula 1 and I have always believed that he has the right attributes and potential to be a top driver who can grow with the team. Our decision to continue together for 2026 is a clear indication of our commitment and strong support for Franco as he develops as a race driver.

"It has been a tough year for the whole team, and it hasn’t been the easiest scenario to perform in, however both Franco and Pierre have done their best to help put the team in the best possible position for next season. With the line-up of Pierre and Franco, we have a good blend of experience, speed and talent that will help drive the team forward and hopefully give our fans something to cheer and shout about next season."

Following the welcome announcement over his future, Colapinto added: "I am very grateful to Flavio and the entire team for their belief in me to help drive the team forwards in the future. Ever since I made my Formula 1 debut, I knew, given the circumstances at play, it would be a huge challenge to keep my place in this sport. It has been a long and tough road, and I am very proud for the opportunity to drive with this team again in 2026, alongside Pierre, who has been a great team-mate and will undoubtedly be someone I can continue to learn from.

"Finally, it is very special and timely to make this announcement here in Brazil this weekend. Being so close to my home country of Argentina and an event that feels like a home race for me where I have so much support. To have so many fans on this journey with me and the team is why we go racing and next year, when there should be a reset in Formula 1, we can hopefully give every single person who cheers for us something to truly smile and celebrate. Vamos Alpine!"

With new regulations coming into play next season, stability appears to be at the heart of Alpine's decision to stick with their driver duo rather than swap in test and reserve driver Paul Aron, who most recently took to the track in F1 in place of Gasly during FP1 at the Mexican GP.

READ MORE: F1 2025 Standings: The gap between Norris, Piastri and Verstappen after Mexico Grand Prix

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