Franco Colapinto Appreciates Alpine's Confidence with New Contract as He Prepares for Monza
Franco Colapinto has extended his contract with Alpine and looks forward to testing new upgrades at Monza. The Argentinian driver aims to leverage these improvements to edge closer to Racing Bulls in the standings.
Franco Colapinto heads into the Italian Grand Prix weekend buoyed by a fresh contract extension with Alpine, a gesture of trust he openly appreciates. The Argentinian driver is optimistic that an upgrade package might provide the Enstone-based team an edge over their competitors.
As the 2027 driver market takes shape, Colapinto's continued presence alongside Pierre Gasly at Alpine has been confirmed. This follows a commendable start to the season, with Colapinto securing 19 points and holding the 12th spot in the Driversâ Championship.
During Thursday's media day at Monza, the 23-year-old expressed his delight about the contract news. "Iâm very pleased, very happy," he said. "Iâm excited for what's coming and to keep this journey going with the team." Colapinto also highlighted the growth and camaraderie within the team, noting improvements across various aspects of their performance.
Colapinto attributed part of his success to the support of Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore, acknowledging his gratitude for the team's consistent faith in him. "Iâm very happy with the team's effort and the progress weâve made together as a family," he remarked.
With the Italian Grand Prix on the horizon, Colapinto anticipates putting a new upgrade package to the test. While Gasly trialed these updates at Zandvoort, Monza will see both Alpine cars equipped with the enhancements. "Monza is a track I always enjoy," Colapinto shared. "And with the upgrades, I think it will be good. Hopefully, it's a favorable track for us â weâll see how things look on Friday."
A recent points haul in the Netherlands has nudged Alpine closer to Racing Bulls in the battle for fifth place in the Teamsâ Championship, with only three points separating them. "We are really close," Colapinto admitted. "The last upgrade was a significant step forward in performance, bringing us closer to Racing Bulls, which was our target. The upgrade is working well, but we must continue working hard to stay ahead."
Acknowledging the competition from Racing Bulls and Audi, Colapinto noted, "They are fast, and Audi is bringing a rear wing upgrade here, so they might be quicker. But we have confidence in our package and hope to extract everything we can to come out on top."
As the Alpine team heads into Monza, their focus remains on maximizing the potential of their upgrades to close the gap in the standings. Colapinto's enthusiasm and commitment to his team's progress reflect his determination to seize every opportunity on the track.