REVEALING DATA! Colapinto’s PERFORMANCE Surprises Alpine & Briatore. F1 News Today.
Fresh data emerging from recent Alpine testing sessions is reportedly causing a stir within the team, with the performance of their young Argentine driver Franco Colapinto proving to be a significant surprise to both team management and executive advisor Flavio Briatore. While Colapinto was recently announced as a replacement for Jack Doohan for the next five races, the underlying reasons for this decision are now becoming clearer, pointing towards unexpectedly impressive showings behind the wheel.
Sources within Alpine suggest that Colapinto’s speed and consistency during these evaluation tests, primarily conducted using the 2023-spec A523, have significantly exceeded initial expectations. The raw data, encompassing lap times, telemetry, and feedback, reportedly painted a picture of a driver who not only adapted quickly to the Formula 1 machinery but also demonstrated a level of performance that caught the attention of key figures within the team, including the notoriously demanding Briatore.
This “revealing data” is believed to be the crucial factor that solidified Alpine’s decision to give Colapinto a sustained opportunity in a race seat. While Colapinto had a brief but promising stint with Williams in the latter part of the 2024 season, his recent performances for Alpine in testing have seemingly provided a more comprehensive and compelling assessment of his potential. The surprise element reportedly stems from the fact that Colapinto, despite his relative inexperience at the top level, has shown an immediate ability to extract performance from the car.
The implications of Colapinto’s surprising pace are significant for Alpine’s immediate and long-term driver strategy. His strong showing puts pressure on incumbent driver Pierre Gasly to consistently perform at a high level, knowing that a talented and quick youngster is now his teammate. Furthermore, it suggests that Alpine may have unearthed a genuine talent for the future, potentially shaping their driver lineup decisions beyond the initial five-race evaluation period for Colapinto. The F1 world will be watching closely to see if Colapinto can translate this promising test data into strong race weekend performances.
