Franco Colapinto’s future with Alpine is already hanging in the balance. The Argentine has had two mediocre races with the French team. Team boss Flavio Briatore is tight-lipped about the rest of Colapinto’s season – and certainly about a potential replacement, such as Mick Schumacher. However, it’s clear that Colapinto, who replaced Jack Doohan himself, is on the hot seat.
Franco Colapinto was preferred over Jack Doohan during the GP of Emilia-Romagna, but after a disappointing start to the season, there is already a question mark over his seat. “We have to wait before we can fully assess Colapinto,” Flavio Briatore responded during an FIA press conference in Spain. “We have to wait for the next race.” However, the Italian refused to provide guarantees about how long Colapinto will continue to drive for Alpine: “I don’t know at this moment if Franco will stay the whole season. It depends on the performance. We only look at performance – nothing else.”
So far, Colapinto has made little impression on Briatore. In Imola, he crashed out in qualifying, and he also had a lackluster race in Monaco. “Monaco was very boring and very annoying,” said the team boss. “Especially when you make mistakes in qualifying – then the race is over before it starts. Let’s see what he does this weekend. After all, this is his first real race. I never say: ‘He gets five races, three races, four races, one race. We’ll see.”
Mick Schumacher: A Potential Contender?
If Colapinto fails to deliver, Alpine and Briatore have alternative options ready. Jack Doohan, who was overlooked earlier this year, could potentially be reconsidered, as could reserve driver Paul Aron. However, the most intriguing rumor is that Mick Schumacher might step in. The German driver currently races for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship and tested against Doohan at Circuit Paul Ricard last year.
Nevertheless, Briatore was reticent about this possibility. When asked about Schumacher, he responded irritably, “Well, I’m not sure why we’re discussing Schumacher now. We’re in 2025.” When Christian Horner, who was also present at the same press conference, made the question more specific – whether Briatore is considering contracting Mick Schumacher – he cut it short: “Yes. Fine. That’s what everyone is saying. But I don’t think it’s the right question to ask right now. Next question.”
