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7m ago

Colapinto Struggles in Baku Practice as Alpine’s Low-Downforce Gamble Misfires

Alpine is considering a power‑unit change that would trigger a five‑place penalty.

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
El castillo, la mítica imagen de Bakú, con el Alpine de Colapinto delante. Foto AP Photo/Darko Bandic
Lewis Hamilton

Overview

  • Franco Colapinto finished 19th in FP1 and 20th in FP2 and said the team is “very, very far” as balance issues persisted on Baku’s bumpy, slow-corner sections.
  • Alpine tried a Monza-style rear wing to boost straight-line speed, which hurt handling in the technical sectors, with local reports indicating a switch back to higher downforce.
  • Formula 1 telemetry showed Colapinto recorded the weekend’s highest speed in the Baku speed trap at 328.9 km/h despite poor overall lap times.
  • Ámbito reported Alpine is evaluating fitting a fresh power unit on Colapinto’s car, a move that would carry a five-place grid drop if adopted.
  • Flavio Briatore told The Race the fight for Alpine’s second 2026 seat is between Colapinto and Paul Aron, increasing scrutiny on the rookie’s performances.