Particle.news
Download on the App Store
60 ARTICLES
·
50m ago

Colapinto Ends Baku Friday Last as Alpine’s Low-Downforce Bet Falters

A low‑downforce setup combined with a late race‑simulation run distorted the timesheets, underscoring the car’s lack of balance.

Colapinto firma la bandera de una fan antes de afrontar la primera práctica libre en Bakú
Franco Colapinto no puede salir del fondo en la mayoría de las instancias que afronta con su Alpine
Lewis Hamilton
El argentino Franco Colapinto acelera su Alpine al pasar por la ciudad vieja de Bakú, Azerbaiyán, durante las pruebas libres para el Gran Premio de Fórmula 1 de ese país

Overview

  • Franco Colapinto ranked 19th in FP1 and 20th in FP2, while Pierre Gasly improved to 16th as Lewis Hamilton topped Friday with Ferrari.
  • “Nos está costando mucho… Estamos muy, muy lejos,” Colapinto said, pointing to trouble finding balance on Baku’s bumpy, slow‑corner sections.
  • Alpine split FP2 programmes, sending Colapinto on a fuel‑loaded race‑sim stint as Gasly completed qualifying‑style runs on a quicker track.
  • The team opted for a Monza‑style low‑downforce rear wing to regain straight‑line speed, which hurt handling in the technical sectors.
  • One outlet reports Alpine is evaluating an engine change for Colapinto that would mean a five‑place grid penalty; he is still scoreless in 2025.