Flavio Briatore eyes future with Franco Colapinto at Alpine

It is fascinating to see the evolution of Franco Colapinto at Alpine. After a rocky start that saw the 23-year-old finish last season with zero points, he has truly come alive this year. He secured a career-best P6 finish at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix and has shown the speed to frequently out-qualify his team mate, Pierre Gasly.

Flavio Briatore has been vocal about this transformation, noting that the driver is finally finding his footing mentally and technically. With 16 points already in the bag—contributed through strong drives in China, Miami, Canada, and Barcelona-Catalunya—Colapinto has helped propel Alpine to the front of the midfield pack. Briatore explicitly confirmed that the team is considering keeping him on board through 2027, provided the current upward trajectory continues.

As Briatore noted, the harmony between his drivers is a key factor in the team's ongoing rebuild. Drawing parallels to his historic driver pairings like Alonso, Fisichella, and Trulli, the Executive Advisor seems genuinely impressed by the atmosphere within the garage. We should have a much clearer picture of the team's direction by the summer break, but for now, it is clear that Colapinto has earned his place in the conversation.