The Alpine Formula 1 team has confirmed that Franco Colapinto will retain his seat for the 2027 season. The announcement solidifies the team's lineup, ensuring the 23-year-old Argentine driver will continue partnering alongside Frenchman Pierre Gasly next year.
Colapinto initially joined the organization as a reserve driver ahead of the 2025 campaign, bringing valuable backing from Latin American sponsors. He subsequently stepped up to a full-time race seat midway through that season, replacing Jack Doohan after the opening six rounds. His current contract extension follows a series of impressive performances, highlighted by a career-best sixth-place finish at the Canadian Grand Prix and a seventh-place result in Miami.
Alpine executive director Flavio Briatore praised the young driver's development and tenacity over the current championship. Briatore noted that the strong outings in North America reaffirmed management's belief in Colapinto's capabilities and value to the squad. Furthermore, the executive emphasized that securing long-term stability in the cockpit allows the team to concentrate entirely on its primary objective of engineering a faster race machine.
Expressing enthusiasm about his future, Colapinto acknowledged the strong sense of community he has found within the garage. He highlighted the noticeable strides the squad has made in vehicle performance compared to the previous year, noting that the upward trajectory has made his tenure particularly rewarding.
The team's on-track fortunes have indeed rebounded significantly since a difficult 2025 campaign that ended with the constructor finishing at the bottom of the standings. After twelve rounds of the current season, Alpine sits in sixth place overall. Their resurgence is largely attributed to two major strategic shifts implemented last year: abandoning development on the 2025 chassis to channel resources into the new technical regulations, and transitioning from Renault power units to customer Mercedes engines.
Amid this competitive revival, the team also awaits a regulatory decision stemming from the Monaco Grand Prix, where Gasly secured a podium finish. That result remains under review following an appeal from McLaren regarding pit-lane penalties. An official verdict on the matter is expected from governing authorities within the coming weeks.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.
