Colapinto reveals why it’s so hard to please Flavio Briatore

Franco Colapinto has discovered that putting points on the board is not necessarily enough to put a smile on Flavio Briatore’s face.

Alpine’s executive advisor, renowned for his uncompromising approach and sky-high expectations, has helped inject a sharper edge into the Enstone outfit after its bruising 2025 campaign.

Colapinto, now 23, admits that living up to Briatore’s standards can be demanding, but believes that relentless pressure is precisely what Alpine needs if it is serious about hunting down Formula 1’s established front-runners.

Even good results can draw criticism

Alpine’s double points finish in Canada offered a perfect illustration. Finishing sixth and eighth would ordinarily have been a reason for celebration for a midfield team.

Briatore, however, was apparently looking beyond the points and straight at the gap to Ferrari.

"I believe in his process," said the 23-year-old. "You have to understand him. But I think to succeed in F1 and to achieve the goal that every midfield team has – to catch Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren – you need someone like Flavio."

Colapinto recalled just how quickly satisfaction evaporated after Montreal.

"We finished P6 and P8 in Canada, those were amazing points for the team, but after the race Flavio was not happy at all and kept pushing the team. He was almost the most unhappy person within the whole team," Colapinto told Motorsport.com.

"That was because of how far off Ferrari we were compared to Miami. He wanted to understand why that was. Everyone was really happy with the points, but he was like, no no, I want more. I don't like where we are and Racing Bulls is too close to us as well. They are closer than they were in Miami, so why is that happening? I want answers and I want to improve more."

A competitive animal

For Colapinto, Briatore’s dissatisfaction is less a flaw than a feature. Alpine may have made substantial progress this season, but the Argentine insists the team cannot afford to become comfortable simply because it has escaped the rear of the field.

"To put that pressure on the team, even when things go right, it's his way of leading the team. And in my personal view, it's a way of succeeding in F1 and catching the top teams," he said.

"Flavio is a competitive animal. He only came back to Formula 1 to win and I really appreciate that because I'm the same."

That mindset explains why Alpine’s improved fortunes have not lowered expectations. The team wants to challenge for more than midfield supremacy, and Colapinto shares that ambition.

"I'm very proud of the steps we made, but we are all very competitive and we are not happy just being at the front of the midfield. It's true that the steps have been massive this year, but we're always aiming for more," Colapinto said.

Read also:

• Briatore questions Alpine’s results: ‘Why are we not winning?’

The same upward trajectory is being reflected away from the circuit. Alpine’s forthcoming title partnership with Gucci represents both a commercial boost and, in Colapinto’s eyes, evidence that outsiders are beginning to believe in the project again.

With his own 2027 future still unresolved, the Argentine clearly hopes to be around for the next phase of Alpine’s transformation.

"Many good things are happening at the moment, new partnerships and a lot of things around us,” he said.

“The deal with Gucci is one of those things and an important one. So yes, I think it shows that the direction we are taking now is the correct one."

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