Alpine sets decision window for 2026 F1 seat alongside Gasly as Colapinto builds momentum
Alpine has signalled it is only a few races away from deciding who will partner Pierre Gasly for the 2026 Formula 1 season, with Franco Colapinto strengthening his case after an initially difficult debut run. The Enstone outfit began the current campaign with rookie Jack Doohan before replacing him after the Miami Grand Prix with Colapinto, who is now under pressure from Paul Aron for the long-term drive.
Colapinto steadies after tough start
Colapinto struggled to match the benchmark of Gasly in his early outings, raising doubts about his future. However, Alpine managing director Steve Nielsen has highlighted clear progress in recent races, underlining an upward trajectory that has brought the Argentine closer to his experienced team-mate.
"I think it's difficult for any of the new drivers coming in. We've seen ebb and flow in lots of them that have come from F2 — five came from F2 last year, which is good," Nielsen told media including RacingNews365. "Franco had a difficult start. I think we've seen that equalise and calm down a little bit. He's now had the measure of Pierre in the last two or three races. So he's on a par with him, which is good."
Decision coming in "a few races"
While the final call has not been made, Alpine is closely monitoring performance trends ahead of a decision window in the coming rounds.
"We don't know where that slope will end, whether it's going to continue. We hope it does. And then we'll make our decision on Franco and whoever else is in the frame when we have to. But we're a few races away from that yet," Nielsen added.
The contenders for 2026
- Franco Colapinto — Improved form in recent races has brought him closer to Gasly, strengthening his claim.
- Paul Aron — A realistic challenger for the seat as Alpine evaluates options from its talent pool.
- Context — The team started 2025 with Jack Doohan, who was replaced after Miami, underscoring Alpine's readiness to act decisively.
With an emphasis on sustained performance, Alpine's short-term evaluation window suggests that the next few races could be decisive for Colapinto's future in Formula 1.
