Franco Colapinto says he’s “in a happy place” ahead of his much-anticipated return to the Formula 1 grid with Alpine, even as questions swirl around the brevity of the opportunity he’s been handed.
The 21-year-old Argentine is stepping into the A525 this weekend at Imola, replacing Jack Doohan after Alpine opted for a mid-season driver shake-up.
Colapinto, who made nine appearances with Williams in 2024, now has a five-race spell to prove his worth – although he insists he’s not fixated on that deadline.
While acknowledging the less-than-ideal circumstances surrounding his promotion, he’s determined to approach the challenge with a clear mind and a commitment to steady progress.
Seizing the Moment
Speaking to the media on Thursday ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Colapinto stressed that he’s focused solely on making the most of the opportunity.
“I’m really excited,” he said. “Everything is new again. We start from zero.
“Of course, it wasn’t the nicest, after the last nine races of the last year, having to step out. It was not what I wanted, but it was a good time to reflect on what happened last year and to learn from it.
©Alpine
“So, happy to be back. Of course, never nice circumstances when it happens like this, when you step in another driver’s seat.
“But you never really choose the moment you’re in Formula 1. I just take it, try to do my best and try to maximise for the team to do a good job.”
A Step-by-Step Approach
Alpine has given Colapinto an initial five races to prove his worth, but the young driver is cautious about setting specific targets, given his unfamiliarity with the A525 and the tight competition in the midfield.
“I think as a driver, of course, I’m just trying to go step by step,” he explained.
“I don’t really know the car. So, a lot of new things coming. I just want to do the basics right and then the results are going to come.
Read also: Vowles backs ‘immensely quick’ Colapinto to shine with Alpine“I’m not really expecting any kind of result. I think the performance of the teams are so tight that they’re changing from track to track, depending on which one is stronger for each.
“So, at the end, I think, until FP1 and FP2, we don’t really have a clear view of where we are at. So, still working a lot with the team.”
“The main goal for us is to make the car quicker as well. We need to find a bit of performance and I think that’s going to come with a lot of work from me and Pierre [Gasly].
“So, that’s the main goal, to try and improve a bit the performance. And then, of course, after these five races, we will see what happens.”
“Five is not enough for me”
Despite Alpine’s timeframe, Colapinto was frank in acknowledging that five races may be insufficient to truly adapt to and extract the most from the A525.
Drawing a comparison to Carlos Sainz’s own adjustment period, he noted that more time is typically needed to get up to speed in F1 machinery.
“We will see once I drive,” he said. “But I have a great opportunity ahead. I’m happy to be back in F1.
“I don’t even think about the 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.
“Of course, after you heard Carlos [Sainz] saying that he needs like 10 races to get used to the car, I think five is not enough for me, if I even drove for nine in all my life in F1.
“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. I just want to maximise it, enjoy it and try to do the best for the team.”
With Alpine currently languishing in the lower midfield, Colapinto’s debut run in the A525 may be as much about development as results.
But for now, the young Argentine appears focused, positive, and ready to embrace whatever the next five weekends bring.
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