Overview

• Flavio Briatore has defined Alpine’s second 2026 seat as a straight contest between Franco Colapinto and reserve Paul Aron, with confirmation targeted between October and November.
• Pierre Gasly said Colapinto is “an option for the team in 2026,” a notable signal given Gasly’s influence in Alpine’s decision-making structure.
• Race analyses show Colapinto has recently outpaced Gasly in Hungary, Monza, Zandvoort and Baku, with measurable race‑pace and qualifying gains against the A525 benchmark.
• Colapinto explained his early struggles stemmed from driving an Alpine developed around others’ preferences, noting he is now finding set‑up changes that better suit his style.
• Carlos Sainz dismissed fresh Mercedes rumors by saying Toto Wolff has not called and reiterated his Williams commitment, as Romain Grosjean completes a one‑off Haas TPC run in a 2023 VF‑23 at Mugello.