Two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso has offered some seasoned advice to Alpine rookie Franco Colapinto, urging the Argentinian to focus on consistency and mental resilience as he navigates a difficult debut season in the sport.
Colapinto, who joined Alpine mid-season to replace Jack Doohan, has yet to score a point and continues to trail teammate Pierre Gasly in terms of performance.
The pressure intensified after reports suggested he was initially given five races to prove himself to Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore. Despite the lack of results, the 21-year-old remains in the seat – but faces growing scrutiny over his future.
Alonso’s Perspective on F1 Survival
When asked how a veteran can guide a rookie struggling in Formula 1, Alonso stressed that mastering the psychological side of the sport is just as important as raw speed.
“For sure, it’s an extremely competitive environment – Formula 1 but also any elite sport,” Alonso told reporters in Hungary last time out.
“You have to be ready to deliver your best performance every day. And when you don’t deliver, you have to be ready to accept some criticism and try to get better.”
The Spaniard emphasized that F1 provides drivers with tools to succeed but also demands unrelenting commitment.
“But in Formula 1, I think we have a lot of support from our teams, our engineers, the technology, the data,” Alonso continued. “So, I don’t think that it’s a bad place to work and to try to get better every day. There’s not really any advice.
“We all have different ways of driving, different driving techniques, different ways of delivering the job. We are all enjoying our time here.”
The Harsh Reality of F1 Competition
Alonso also reminded Colapinto of the harsh competitive reality in a sport where dominance often limits opportunities for the rest of the field.
“It’s true that we all want to win,” he explained. “And if you get to Formula 1, it’s because in your past you had opportunities to win – in karting, in the junior formulas – and then you had the opportunity to get to F1.
“And when you get here, there’s only one guy winning, normally for five or six years in a row because they are dominating.
“So, this is the only thing you have to manage — you have to control that frustration. You need to still deliver 100% knowing that you will not win.”
Despite his struggles, Colapinto acknowledged the rarity of his position in Formula 1, insisting he remains grateful for the opportunity.
“Yeah. I think Formula 1, we all know it’s a tough sport, and we all want to be here,” the 22-year-old acknowledged.
“There are only twenty places, and it’s always going to be very tricky how you get here. It’s a lot of effort, a lot of sacrifice in the past for all the drivers that go to Formula 1.
“And only 20 drivers get to be here, and there are thousands that want to be. So it’s the sport we all love, and we are very lucky to be able to do it.”
Alpine’s long-term faith in Colapinto remains unclear. With reserve driver Paul Aron waiting in the wings and names like Valtteri Bottas linked to the team, the pressure is only set to intensify.
For now, Alonso’s words serve as both encouragement and a reality check for the Argentinian: in F1, survival depends on delivering consistently, even when victory is out of reach.
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