Overview

• Flavio Briatore has limited Alpine’s 2026 choice to Franco Colapinto or Paul Aron and says the lineup will be announced between October and November, with Pierre Gasly already under contract.
• The New York Times reports three benchmarks for Colapinto’s retention—avoid costly accidents, stay close to Gasly on pace, show improvement—and describes him as the most likely candidate.
• Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner predicts Colapinto will start 2026 at Alpine on a short leash, with the opening six races serving as a proving period.
• Colapinto heads into the Singapore Grand Prix on October 3–5 at Marina Bay, one of the calendar’s most physically demanding events, after finishing 11th there with Williams in 2024.
• Public signals are tracking in his favor, including rapid growth toward 5 million Instagram followers and a suggestive post by his father, while market chatter about Alex Albon and Red Bull could reshape seats at Williams.