No more ‘driver change button’ at Alpine – Briatore

Jan.29 (GMM) Flavio Briatore has moved to shut down speculation about Franco Colapinto’s future at Alpine, joking that he has “lost” the button used to change drivers.

Colapinto endured a difficult 2025 after being promoted mid-season at the expense of Jack Doohan, who has now left Alpine altogether and is now heading to Super Formula in Japan.

But with reserve Paul Aron waiting in the wings, rumours of another change had begun to circulate.

Speaking to RTVE, Briatore said those doubts have eased.

“I think I’ve forgotten the driver change button,” he joked. “I’ve lost it, it’s disappeared.”

Briatore said Colapinto’s main weakness remains qualifying, not race pace.

“Franco’s problem is qualifying. In the race, he’s competitive,” he said. “We see that he’s on par with Pierre Gasly there, he has the same speed.

“We’re working hard with him and he’s changing a lot, he’s maturing quickly. You can already see it in his face – he’s more mature.”

The Alpine advisor added that Colapinto has changed markedly since arriving in Formula 1.

“Last year he was a kid who’d just arrived from the Pampas. Now he’s much more aggressive, much stronger,” Briatore said. “He’s more interested in telemetry and the engineers’ data, he spends a lot of time in the wind tunnel and he’s very disciplined.

“He just needs to focus on qualifying. Sometimes he gets too excited. He needs to relax and make sure he does well.”

Briatore stressed that the team remains committed to Colapinto.

“These kids come to Formula 1 with a lot of pressure,” he said. “He suffered a bit more, but he’s at the same level as everyone else now. We can work with him – that’s why we put him in the car.”

Briatore also spoke about long-time client Fernando Alonso, who turns 45 this year and is entering a crucial season with Aston Martin.

“Fernando is incredible and very competitive,” Briatore said. “He can easily continue for another year or two.”

Rejecting comparisons between Alonso and Colapinto, Briatore added: “Young Fernando was a phenomenon. We’re talking about someone like Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, or today Max Verstappen. It’s too soon to think that young Franco … besides, the old Alonso is good enough.”

Asked who he would back if Alpine cannot win in 2026, Briatore did not hesitate.

“One hundred percent, I want Fernando to win.”

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