Briatore questions Colapinto's readiness, Alpine weighs 2026 seat

Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore said Friday at Zandvoort that Franco Colapinto has not met expectations since being promoted into the team midseason, casting doubt on whether the 22 year old Argentine will hold the race seat into 2026. Colapinto, who replaced Jack Doohan after the Miami Grand Prix, has yet to score a point in his seven or eight starts for Alpine this year, depending on different reports, leaving his long term status at Enstone uncertain.

Briatore, speaking publicly for the first time about the switch, said the move to expedite Colapinto's promotion may have been premature. "For this driver, it is very difficult to cope with this car," he said. "These cars are very, very heavy, very, very quick. For a young driver to be put in Formula 1, maybe it was not the timing to have Franco in Formula 1. Maybe he needed another one year away." He added that results count and that what he has seen so far is not what he expected.

At the same time Briatore conceded Alpine may have applied too much pressure and mismanaged the rookie. "Maybe we put too much pressure on him," he said, noting the challenge of pairing a rookie with an established teammate in Pierre Gasly....