Franco Colapinto did not have the comeback he might have dreamed of during the recent Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Starting from the fifteenth position – the result of a severe crash during the qualifiers – the Argentine eventually crossed the finish line in sixteenth place. He stated afterwards that he still needs to get used to working with Alpine. Colapinto can take comfort in the thought that Briatore will grant him more than the promised five Grand Prix races.
Both the seasoned Alpine driver Pierre Gasly and newcomer Franco Colapinto failed to score points in Imola. It was the third consecutive race in which the French racing team failed to earn any World Championship points. After a significant crash in the qualifiers, Colapinto was at least positive about the experience gained and the potential of the A525. “We had a good pace at the start of the race compared to the others,” he explained to Formula1.com. However, due to an awkward start and a poorly timed pit stop – just before the VSC – he lost a lot of time.
“I drove on the C5 tires – the mediums – for as long as possible to only have to make one pit stop,” he explained. “Unfortunately, the VSC came just after I had made my stop. It put me in a very difficult situation; I had already completed eight laps, while the drivers around me could fit new tires to their cars for free. Other than that, it went fine, I was able to gain more experience and get to know the car better.”
Alpine Shows Patience with Colapinto
“I think better circuits are coming for us, especially Monaco,” Colapinto continued optimistically. “It’s a place that requires a lot of confidence. I’m not quite there yet, I’m still learning every time I get in the car.” Speaking to the Spanish press, he reiterated that he will be ‘taking it easy’ in the principality: “It’s a matter of progressing little by little. With every lap I drove, I felt more comfortable. I was also getting closer to Esteban Ocon, who is the benchmark within the team.”
Colapinto can take comfort in the fact that he will have plenty of races to further develop within Alpine. In an official press release, the team emphasized that he was given five Grands Prix to prove himself, but Flavio Briatore has repeatedly contradicted this. “No, no,” said the Italian after the race, “forget about those five Grands Prix, I decide. This was his first race for Alpine,” Briatore clarified later on Viaplay. “Because of that crash, he was in a difficult situation. We’ll see. We need to be patient, as he is a young guy with a lot of potential.”
