"Flavio Briatore severely condemns Franco Colapinto"

In the world of Formula 1, speculation is swirling around the future of Franco Colapinto at Alpine. The team principal, Flavio Briatore, has expressed dissatisfaction with Colapinto's performances, citing a lack of points scored since joining the team.

Colapinto, who is currently the driver for Alpine, has been at zero points after eight Formula 1 race weekends in 2025, with a best result of P13. This performance contrasts sharply with his promising displays last season as Logan Sargeant's replacement at Williams.

Briatore has mentioned that the car might be too heavy and fast for Colapinto, a young driver who is still finding his feet in the competitive world of Formula 1. However, during a recent press conference, Briatore defended Colapinto, acknowledging the pressure of being in a team with Pierre Gasly and the human aspect of being a young driver.

Rumours of a potential replacement for Colapinto have been circulating, with Paul Aron and Mick Schumacher's names being tossed around. Aron has already substituted for Colapinto in practice sessions, and the team could promote him or reinstate Jack Doohan. However, current signs suggest that Colapinto remains in the cockpit, and the team is working to build his confidence.

Briatore has also clarified that Valtteri Bottas was never an option for Alpine, and the team did some marketing to help him sign with Cadillac for the coming season.

The speculation was further fueled by a series of errors and accidents, most recently during tire testing in August. Despite these setbacks, Briatore emphasizes that results are what matter in regards to Colapinto's performance.

It is not uncommon for such announcements to be used to put pressure on the sponsors, but Briatore's statements have made it unclear what will happen with Franco Colapinto. With Alpine currently at the bottom of the constructor's championship, facing a loss in the tens of millions, the team needs a strong performance to turn their fortunes around.

Only time will tell if Colapinto can rise to the challenge and secure a place in the team for the future, or if a change will be made to shake things up.