Franco Colapinto’s solid 2026 F1 season continued with a very good performance at the Belgian GP to come home in P10.
In qualifying on Saturday, the driver from Argentina was 0.061s slower than Pierre Gasly in Q2 as they finished P12 and P13. However, both gained two spots thanks to grid penalties for Lando Norris and Isack Hadjar.
At the start, he cleared Gabriel Bortoleto and Pierre Gasly, before the DNF for George Russell had him in P8 ahead of the restart. Lando Norris passed him on lap 7, with his French teammate overtaking five tours later.
Once car #10 had pitted, Colapinto came in at the end of lap 15; Lawson had also boxed at the same time to cover the 2020 Italian GP winner. It became a four-way battle with Nico Hülkenberg for the last point from there as Bortoleto — who also pitted under VSC like his Audi teammate — and Lindblad drove off into the distance.
On lap 28, car #43 cleared Hülkenberg at the end of the Kemmel straight for P12. Two laps later, Colapinto passed Gasly and Lawson with a move somewhat similar to Mika Häkkinen produced against Michael Schumacher and Zonta in 2000, although the clipping made all three cars look like more like tractors on the straight this time around.
Franco Colapinto happy with P10 but knows Alpine F1 have a lot of work to do in the midfield fight after 2026 F1 Belgian GP
Speaking post-race, the 23-year-old was pleased to score a point. Nonetheless, he is fully aware the Enstone-based squad must improve the A526 as both Racing Bulls and Audi are now faster. Since the upgrade in Montréal, the Faenza-based team have been faster in almost every race.
By the end of Sunday’s race, he was 17s and 16s behind Gabriel Bortoleto and Arvid Lindblad at the chequered flag.
Having held a solid advantage over Racing Bulls since early in the season, they are now tied at 61 points for 5th in the Constructors’ Championship. Steve Nielsen confirmed at Spa upgrades would be coming at Zandvoort.
“Yeah, happy with the point, of course. It’s been very positive for us.
“We are struggling a lot with the car and to score a point in these conditions, to be in front of an Audi and a VCARB, it is more than what we can do. So, of course, happy with that.
“But we need to improve a lot the car; we are too slow at the moment and even though we maximised the weekend, we had a good quali and a good race, the car needs to be quicker.
“We are just losing quite a lot of lap time in some corners compared to the Audis and the big VCARBs, we are a bit far [away].
“We did a step this weekend which was positive but we need to do more. So we are trying to work hard to come back stronger.”
Fending off his teammate, Lawson and Hülkenberg for 10th
Once he got to the front of the P10 train, Franco Colapinto faced 14 intense laps of holding off his teammate, the New Zealander and the German to get that last point at the 2026 F1 Belgian GP.
Ultimately, he did it. The Argentinian driver felt he had it covered off, even if overtake mode and slipstream is massive around Spa.
“I think it was under control. It’s just that in the very long straight, it was like, you lose 7 tenths just with the tow and the energy.
“And when I was behind, I was catching a lot and I managed to pass three cars. And then when I was in front, it’s tricky to pull away, like when Lawson was in front.
“But I couldn’t really pull away. There is so much catching in the straights, they are very long.”
