Overview
- Alpine confirmed it installed a fourth electronic control unit on Franco Colapinto’s A526 and the FIA has imposed a confirmed 10-place grid penalty for the United States Grand Prix.
- The electronic control unit is limited to three uses per season and using a fourth automatically triggers the grid drop under FIA component rules.
- On Friday Colapinto focused on long runs rather than one-lap qualifying preparation and improved from 17th in FP1 to 15th in FP2 while engineers ran reliability checks and balance work.
- Other midfield rivals also carry penalties that will reshuffle the pack at COTA, so Colapinto’s starting slot will be affected relative to those rivals and recovery strategies will be key.
- The change follows double retirements for Colapinto in Singapore caused by electrical and powertrain faults, and Alpine views the three-race Americas swing as the best chance to regain points using race pace and overtaking opportunities at Austin.