Back again after his F1 debut last year, this time at the Imola GP, Franco Colapinto replaced Jack Doohan at Alpine. This decision was made after Doohan failed to perform according to the team’s expectations. The Argentine competed in 9 races last season due to the early termination of Logan Sargent at Williams.
The French team gave Franco Colapinto 5 races to prove himself and possibly earn a permanent place in F1. While the circumstances are not the most favourable, he impressed everyone in the 2024 season, and he will surely try again now. His talent and determination brought him to the consideration of many of the top teams.
Alpine is currently sitting in the penultimate place in the Constructors’ Championship, with only 7 points gained after 6 rounds. Colapinto’s new teammate, Pierre Gasly, is already in his third year with the team, gaining points and harnessing his drive. His best result so far was during the Bahrain GP, where he finished 7th.
Return to Formula 1
During his first press conference since coming back to Formula 1, Franco Colapinto spoke about the excitement he feels after returning behind the wheel at the Imola GP. The Argentine briefly mentioned the unlucky circumstances, which paved the way for his comeback:
“Really excited. You know, everything is new again. We start from zero. It wasn’t the nicest to be… after doing the last nine races of last year and then having to step out. It was not what I wanted, but it was a good time to reflect on what happened and to learn from it. So, happy to be back.
“Of course, it’s never nice circumstances when it happens like this, when you step in another driver’s seat, but you never really choose the moment you do it in Formula 1. I just take it, try to do my best and try to maximise it for the job.”
The decision to bring Colapinto back came as a surprise to most fans. Nevertheless, it is never an easy way to become one of the top 20 best drivers in the world. Alpine’s new addition talked about the short period he had in order to get ready to perform to the best of his abilities:
“There has been a lot of work in the background. Apart from the last couple of days, also before. I’ve been doing a lot of sim work for the team. Of course, not trackside, but still helping the team to try to develop the car during race weekends. It has helped me a bit to learn the car, the tools, the different settings the team is running, because I’m not very used to it.”
Moreover, this change represents a lot more for the Argentine. The driver previously drove for Williams, being part of their Driver Academy since 2023. Not only does Colapinto have to adapt to a completely different team, but he will also drive on a new track this weekend for the Imola GP. However, the new Alpine driver seemed positive about rejoining the Formula 1 grid and catching up:
“It’s quite a big switch from one team to another, so it has been helpful. And then, of course, the prep since it got announced has been very strong. We’ve been doing a lot of things in the sim. So happy. It’s been a really long time since I’ve been in a race weekend. A bit rusty, maybe, but I think it’s going to come off very quickly.”
Weekend goals for the “rookie”
The Argentine driver last competed in the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP. Yet, that was not his last time at the wheel. Colapinto had the chance to partake in a TPC run at Zandvoort, where he regained some familiarity:
“I drove the day after it was announced, in Zandvoort. So I think it was one day before you guys were there. A lot of fans, it wasn’t really a private test.”
Colapinto put in a lot of work on his muscle memory. Besides, the Alpine driver talked about the hardships of neck training and the difficulties a track like Imola’s can produce:
“It was OK. Still getting kind of used to it. The body had to adjust. So it was tricky at the start, but it just takes a while. Imola is a tough track physically. It’s not like my start in Monza, which is the easiest one of the year. But it’s great to be back. It’s great that it happens in Italy as well. I have really good memories here and in Monza too. So yeah, excited about the weekend.”
Franco Colapinto is softening his expectations for the Imola GP, since he explained that there will be a lot of adjustments to be made:
“I think just try to focus on myself. It’s very tricky to have any expectations. I haven’t even driven the car yet, so lots of things to learn. But I think we are doing the right steps and if we go little by little, I think I’m going to arrive to a decent place.”
The “5-race” clause
The moment Alpine announced that Franco Colapinto would return in F1 starting from the Imola GP, there was a question of performance. Jack Doohan was replaced after only 6 rounds for failing to adapt to the car. Now, the Argentine gets only 5 races to gather experience and put it to good use. Colapinto discussed this unusual clause and the team’s expectations:
“I think as a driver, I’m just trying to go step by step. I don’t really know the car, so a lot of new things coming, and I just want to do the basics right, and then the results are going to come. I’m not really expecting any kind of result. The performance of the teams is so tight, and it changes from track to track.
“At the end, in FP1 and FP2, we don’t really have a clear view of where we are at. We’re still working a lot with the team. The main goal is to make the car quicker as well. We need to find a lot of performance, and I think that’s going to come with a lot of work from everyone. So that’s the main goal – to try and improve the performance and then, of course, after these five races, we’ll see.”
Unsurprisingly, Franco Colapinto spoke up about the short, unjust time he got to perform. While other drivers called it “harsh”, the Argentine will try his best to impress his new team. However, he debated the accuracy, or lack of it, of this “5-race” deadline:
“I don’t know. We’ll see once I drive. But you know, I have a great opportunity ahead. I’m happy to be in F1. I don’t even think in terms of five races—I’m just in a happy place and I’m dealing with it very well. I think at the moment I just want to get back in the seat and drive.
“And of course, after you heard Carlos—especially Carlos—saying that he needs like 10 races to get used to a car, I think five is not enough for me. I’ve only driven nine in my life in F1. So yeah, it probably takes me a few more races, probably a couple more than five to get up to speed and maximise everything out of the car. But it is what I have and I just want to maximize it, enjoy it and try to do the best for the team.”
Excitement and pressure
Despite these unfortunate circumstances, Franco Colapinto shared some fond memories from his debut and his return for the Imola GP. The racing driver is looking forward to driving in Italy, on such an “old-school” circuit:
“I love Imola. I love Italy. I have some great memories and great history here. I started in Monza — that was my debut in Formula 1 — and now it’s Imola. Still in Italy, but with Alpine. I love Imola. It’s a great track with massive history in Formula 1. I think we all like coming here.”
This conversation stemmed from the current talks of removing Imola from the race calendar. To this, Colapinto explained his point of view fondly:
“The history this brings to the sport, it’s a great track, and especially to drive a Formula 1 car here. There are specific corners — it’s such an old-school track, it’s very enjoyable to drive. So yeah, I’m going to try to enjoy this weekend and hopefully it stays.”
Yet, everything good happens to go hand in hand with something unpleasant. The Argentine driver closed out the press conference by reviewing the pressure he is under, while emphasising his excitement for such a return:
“Last year, everything was new, and it was very tricky to take in all the information. I think now I’m only six races behind everyone that has been racing already—evolution-wise, tyre-related, I just don’t have the knowledge of those first six races. But I’m much closer than last year. Last year, I had zero experience. I hadn’t had any testing. I just had 300k of running in an F1 car before I drove in Monza. It was much trickier. I think I felt more pressure there, just because everything was new.
“This year, just having that extra experience, having that knowledge of having already raced in Formula 1, is going to help me a bit. So yeah, hopefully it does. Yeah, just can’t wait to jump in the car.”
