The young 22-year-old Argentine arrived in the French team surrounded by huge expectations after his remarkable appearances with Williams in 2024, performances that had promoted him to a full-time seat.
Read more Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen had a lot of fun: «It was crazy!»
But since joining Alpine, Colapinto had often struggled against the experience of his teammate Pierre Gasly.
However, this dynamic seems to have changed at the Canadian Grand Prix with his best result to date, a convincing sixth place.
Boost at home
Freshly returned from an important event held in Buenos Aires — where he also met Lionel Messi — Colapinto delivered one of his best weekends with Alpine. The team’s executive advisor, Flavio Briatore, even joked after the race: “Maybe I’ll have to send him to Buenos Aires every week.”
Colapinto now believes that the gradual improvement of the car and his growing confidence are finally starting to work together: “Since Miami, it’s clear that the changes made at the factory have helped me a lot. And on top of that, I’ve become more competitive,” he explained to DAZN.
The Argentine also acknowledges that the start of the season was difficult because several circuits were still unfamiliar to him: “Yes, I feel that I am a bit more relaxed now. Knowing the circuits helps me a lot, especially during Sprint weekends where you have to immediately know what to do. The first part of the season was tough because I didn’t know many tracks, and that’s a disadvantage.”
Back to Gasly’s level
The main challenge at the start of the season was mainly to understand why he couldn’t match Gasly’s pace: “With the car, it’s easy to see what isn’t working. But when you lack confidence, it’s much more complicated. Now, we’re going to be more aggressive because little by little, we understand why I didn’t have Pierre’s speed.”
Read more Martinius Stenshorne (Rodin) triumphs in a completely crazy race in Montreal
The atmosphere currently at Alpine also helps boost morale after a disastrous 2025 season that left the team at the bottom of the standings: “This year is going to be intense. It’s impressive to see the vibe at the factory. Everyone is extremely motivated and I am very happy to be able to repay them with points. ”
Gasly himself has publicly praised the attitude and progress of his young teammate: “He’s a great guy. I love his attitude. He’s very calm.”
Two cars in the points
The French driver also believes that both drivers now work in the same direction to advance the team: “I think we make a good team. We have similar feelings and we guide the team in the same direction. Obviously, he has a bit less experience, but he always comes with the right attitude.”
Gasly also considers Colapinto’s successful weekend as an important moment in his progression: “He had a very good race in Miami. It’s important to score points with both cars because the championship will be very long. In the end, every point counts. ”
With this double top 10 finish and a good haul of points, Alpine consolidates its fifth place in the constructors’ championship, that of “best of the rest” behind the four top teams.
Read more Red Bull mocks Russell after his retirement in Canada and reignites tension with Verstappen