Briatore relaxed about Colapinto while Alpine considers Gasly agreement.

Briatore relaxed about Colapinto while Alpine considers Gasly agreement.

      "Pierre is the foundation from which we must begin."

      Flavio Briatore acknowledges that Alpine is losing patience with Franco Colapinto, despite the rookie claiming he has more to demonstrate in the latter half of the 2025 season. The 21-year-old Argentine driver was brought in on loan from Williams after Briatore persuaded Renault to invest significantly in the arrangement. However, following a challenging initial period, Briatore is reconsidering the timing.

      "These cars are quite heavy and very fast," he remarked. "For a young driver to enter Formula 1, it may not have been the right moment for Franco. Perhaps he requires another year or two. He is working hard with the engineers to meet their expectations, but it’s not what I anticipated from Colapinto. Maybe it was too much pressure. As for the future, honestly, I’m uncertain."

      Colapinto, on the other hand, expressed to reporters at Zandvoort his determination to secure his position. "I will be racing on circuits I know well and where I have experience driving an F1 car," he stated. "I hope that familiar circuits will boost my confidence and enhance my speed."

      However, the outlook for Alpine in 2026 remains unclear. The primary focus is on retaining Pierre Gasly. "Right now, we are negotiating with Pierre to extend his contract," Briatore told Canal Plus. "He is the foundation from which we must start. After that, we’ll see what unfolds. We are very pleased with Pierre. It doesn't always reflect in his results, but he is very effective with the car he has."

      Regarding Franco, he added, "We haven't made a decision for next year yet. Everything is still open. We have ten races left to determine our path." Briatore also dismissed rumors of a Renault sell-off involving himself, Bernie Ecclestone, and Christian Horner. "I’m not considering anything at the moment," he said. "Christian is currently not in Formula 1."

      He hopes for Horner's return soon, adding that he isn’t part of the team's current picture. Nevertheless, Briatore found the notion amusing. "The sharks," he joked. "The shark media." Mercedes chief Toto Wolff found the idea appealing as well. "That would be an intriguing story and great content," he smiled. "Formula 1 has always revolved around the best racing, exciting drivers, and strong personalities. When you reflect on the golden age of team owners and principals - Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Flavio, Montezemolo - perhaps we need to cultivate that."

      In the meantime, Briatore will soon delegate more operational duties at Enstone to Steve Nielsen, who is rejoining the team to fill the vacancy left by Oliver Oakes. "I expect more than just one role from Steve," he confirmed. "I expect him to oversee everything from A to Z."

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Briatore relaxed about Colapinto while Alpine considers Gasly agreement.

Formula 1 | Flavio Briatore acknowledges that Alpine is growing impatient with Franco Colapinto, despite the rookie maintaining that he has more to demonstrate in the latter half of (…)