Heading into the Canadian GP this weekend, Franco Colapinto has opened up about what had enabled Alpine to take a step forward in Miami, his expectations for Montreal, how having a full-time seat has impacted his performance so far, and why he is looking forward to the rest of the 2026 F1 season.
Following a shaky start to the campaign, Colapinto finally appeared to have a breakthrough as F1 headed stateside after a month-long break. He not only outpaced Pierre Gasly in qualifying for the first time in 2026 but also secured his best-ever result in the sport with a P7 finish at the Miami International Autodrome on Sunday.
Colapinto on the Miami progress and Alpine’s confidence before the Canadian GP
Speaking in a print media session ahead of the 2026 Canadian GP weekend, Franco Colapinto reflected on the progress Alpine had made in Miami and revealed how optimistic they are about carrying the strong momentum forward.
Admitting how relieving it was to deliver solid results across the race weekend, the Argentine driver stated that the hard work of the French squad had paid off in the previous round and that they are gearing up to hit the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with more confidence and an improved A526.
“It’s definitely much better and I think we all have a bit of relief because of the improvements we made and that we were so strong in Miami, not in one session but in the whole of the weekend.
“It shows that what we’ve done, it paid off. So, I think generally it’s been a part of a good weekend because we scored points in both cars.
“It’s been a much better weekend because of how strong we were. So, I think definitely it gives us more confidence coming into Canada. I think the whole package has been better.”
Colapinto discusses A526’s upgrades and his hopes for the 2026 Canadian GP weekend
Explaining they are finally going in the right direction when it comes to car development, Franco Colapinto also confirmed that Alpine are bringing further upgrades to the 2026 Canadian GP.
Additionally, the Buenos Aires native claimed that his familiarity with the circuit on Notre Dame Island has provided him with a confidence boost to tackle the upcoming F1 Sprint weekend head-on.
“We have some little upgrades which is also good. We have that focus on the right areas that we’ve been trying to find since a couple of races ago and now we kind of feel that we are aiming to the right things and that’s of course good.
“I know the track. It’s also the first track of the year that I know and from now on it’s all tracks that I’ve been at, which is also very positive.
“I think [I am] in a much happier place which is a good start and definitely [have] more confidence coming into this race.”
The factors behind Alpine’s improvement in Miami
In terms of what had contributed to Alpine’s considerable headway in Miami and whether they can automatically carry the performance gains over to the 2026 Canadian GP weekend, Franco Colapinto couldn’t single out the exact cause of their improvement.
Nonetheless, the 22-year-old surmised that multiple updated elements were instrumental in the A526 producing faster lap times, and he commended the team for getting the crucial upgrades ready for the two North American race weekends.
“Yeah, the changes we carry over into the car and those things have definitely helped. It’s tricky to know exactly what the thing that improved was but I think many things in the package have helped.
“The team has been pushing really hard in the factory to bring the pieces to the cars, to bring the wings here for both cars, the floors, the little things. The chassis I think was also a big help.
“The team has been pushing in the factory a lot to bring all the best parts that we can. It already happened in Miami and [is] happening here in Canada, which is very positive. So yeah, looking forward to this Sprint weekend.”
How being a full-time driver has impacted Colapinto’s performance
Although 2026 marks Franco Colapinto’s third year on the F1 grid—following a stint at Williams in 2024 and replacing Jack Doohan at Alpine from round seven in 2025—it’s his first as a full-time driver, which allowed him to take part in the pre-season tests in Barcelona and Bahrain.
Asked if the strides he is making currently can be attributed to the fact that he has been behind the wheel of the A526 since testing, Colapinto commented in the lead-up to the 2026 Canadian GP that he has felt comfortable in the car from the get-go.
Declaring that there has been no feeling of unease, unlike the past two seasons, the Alpine F1 driver nevertheless conceded that his lack of pace and considerably underwhelming results in the first couple of rounds were a source of concern.
“It is much better and this year generally I felt much more comfortable in the car since I started the year.
“And that’s why I think a little bit of the worry in the first couple of races [was] of where was the performance or where was the lack of pace I was coming from because I was not feeling uncomfortable in the car like I was last year.”
Why Colapinto is enthusiastic about the Canadian GP and the remainder of the 2026 season
However, disclosing that the month-long break prior to the race weekend in Miami had allowed the Alpine F1 team to pore over the data and work on his limitations, Franco Colapinto added that he is now looking forward to the Canadian GP and the European leg of the 2026 campaign with a positive mindset.
“So, then it’s a bit trickier to go deep in where or what the problem is. And I think that’s why it took us a little bit of time, but it was a very good break before Miami to understand that.
“I think now starting to come to all these tracks in Europe and here in Canada that I know until the end of the year, it is also very positive and something that is going to make me more comfortable so yeah looking forward to those.”
