Colapinto to remain with Alpine for 2027 season

By Liam Tremblay — 27 August 2026 — 3 min read

Colapinto secures Alpine extension

Franco Colapinto has been confirmed to remain with Alpine for the 2027 season, extending his partnership with Pierre Gasly. This decision follows a strong performance by the Argentine driver during the current season, where he has shown significant development on track.

The 23-year-old driver’s contract extension comes after a season in which he has scored points in six of 12 Grands Prix. His best result this year was a sixth-place finish at the Canadian Grand Prix in May. This marks a notable improvement from his 2025 season, where he did not score any points.

Colapinto expressed his satisfaction with the team, stating, “I feel very happy and very settled here and it’s been even better that we have made significant progress this year compared to last.” He also highlighted the team’s ongoing efforts to enhance car performance, noting, “We have a lot more milestones to reach and I know the team is working so hard in finding performance and making the car better and better.”

Performance and team dynamics

Colapinto’s journey with Alpine began in 2025 as a reserve driver, following a debut with Williams where he completed the final nine races of 2024 as a replacement for Logan Sargeant. He then secured a race seat early in the 2025 campaign, replacing Jack Doohan, and was later confirmed full-time for the current season.

Initially, Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore noted that Colapinto seemed “lost” but later matured into a “different” driver. His improved form in 2026, combined with Gasly’s strong performance, has contributed to Alpine holding sixth place in the Teams’ Championship. This position meets the minimum target set by Briatore for the year.

The team was particularly impressed by Colapinto’s enhanced on-track performance, as well as his increasing maturity and tenacity. His positive working relationship with Gasly is also seen as beneficial, fostering team harmony. Furthermore, Colapinto brings financial backing and a substantial fanbase in South America, making him an attractive prospect for sponsors in that region.

Briatore confirmed that Colapinto deserved to retain his seat, and the driver reportedly received the news during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend at Zandvoort. Alpine views this stability in their driver line-up as crucial while they focus on improving their car’s speed and closing the gap to frontrunners.

Looking ahead to 2027

The early contract renewal is expected to boost Colapinto’s confidence, allowing him to concentrate on maximizing results for the remainder of the season without concerns about his future. This focus is particularly important as Alpine aims to secure fifth place in the Teams’ Championship by the end of the year, a position they believe is achievable.

For 2027, the team is set to be rebranded as Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One Team, with ambitions to significantly reduce the performance gap to the leading teams. The decision to retain Colapinto provides continuity as Alpine continues its rebuilding phase.

Despite some speculation about a potential return to Williams, where he made his F1 debut, Alpine was always considered Colapinto’s most probable destination, especially since Williams has retained Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon. Colapinto’s ability to absorb pressure and deliver results this year, after failing to score in 2025, has been impressive.

The challenge for Colapinto now is to consistently score points and maintain his upward trajectory. The team’s increased competitiveness this year is partly attributed to strategic decisions made in 2025, including abandoning their 2025 car to focus on the design for the current year’s new engine rules and switching to customer Mercedes engines after Renault cancelled its F1 engine programme post-2025. Gasly, who has a deal with Alpine until at least the end of 2028, achieved a podium finish in Monaco this season, though this result is subject to a challenge from McLaren regarding penalties for speeding in the pit-lane.

Source: formula1.com