Alpine's lineup is settled for 2025 with Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan, but executive advisor Flavio Briatore is keeping Williams rookie Franco Colapinto in his line of sight for 2026.
The story isn't new. Whispers circulated even before Doohan's F1 debut in Abu Dhabi that Briatore held a keen interest in the Argentine.
This interest, however, reportedly cooled after a series of incidents on track and the rumored high price tag attached to extracting Colapinto from his Williams contract.
However, recent comment by Briatore to Auto Motor und Sport have reignited the speculation. The flamboyant Italian made it clear he is not one to ignore young talent.
“I'm interested in any driver who is fast,” commented Briatore. “Colapinto surprised everyone, but we have contracts with Gasly, Doohan and [Paul] Aron for next season.
“If there was an opportunity to get Colapinto by 2026, you have to think about it.”
Briatore's words confirmed that Alpine's interest in Colapinto is not a fleeting fancy. It's a strategic consideration for the future.
A potential stumbling block, however, could be the financial aspect of a deal with Williams, with the British outfit likely to demand a hefty premium to release its young driver
“You always have to be careful when assessing drivers,” added Briatore.
“In this sport, you quickly get hyped up after a good race. Then the price rises and suddenly we're talking about 20 or 30 million dollars.”
The Alpine executive also provided context to Alpine's driver development strategy. I have emphasized a shift in focus
“The choice today is much greater than it used to be. Today, there are six to seven promising drivers in Formula 2 and Formula 3,” he said.
“We want to concentrate on the good ones in our academy and no longer run around with a watering can. “It will probably come down to three drivers: Aron, [Gabriele] Mini and [Victor] Martins.”
This focus on their own academy drivers adds another layer to the Colapinto situation. While Briatore clearly sees potential in the Argentine, he also seems determined to nurture talent from within.
This suggests that any move for Colapinto would have to be strategically and financially justified, especially given the investment Alpine is making in its own young drivers.
Meanwhile, the spotlight falls on Jack Doohan. The Aussie is already under pressure to perform in 2025. His debut in Abu Dhabi, stepping in after Esteban Ocon's early exit from the team, was a challenging baptism of fire.
Despite qualifying last, Doohan delivered a solid race performance, finishing 15th, a result that his teammate Pierre Gasly noted as encouraging.
“To jump into the last weekend, trying to get a feel for the car, and get it right, I think it was actually a pretty, pretty strong job,” said the Frenchman.
“Obviously, a target for him was to learn as much as possible for next season, but I think he's done a good job.”
Doohan's performance in 2025 will undoubtedly influence Alpine's driver decisions for 2026.
If he delivers strong results, it could solidify his position. However, if he fails, the lure of Colapinto, combined with Briatore's clear interest, could become an irresistible opportunity for the Enstone squad.
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