What must Colapinto do to not get axed from Alpine by Briatore?

A crash in qualifying and a gearbox failure that ended Colapinto's race before the first lap was complete marked what Buenos Aires Herald called “undoubtedly his worst weekend” since debuting in 2024, and his most disappointing showing as an Alpine driver. Rumour is he burnt the clutch on his way to the grid and not helping their collection of citadel paints to reskin the car.

The 22-year-old’s qualifying session ended with a spin into the barriers at the final corner in damp conditions, while his Sunday race lasted barely a lap before stalling in the pit lane with the car stuck in second gear.

“We tried a few things to get going again, but in the end, we had to retire the car,” Colapinto told Alpine media. “Days like Sunday are when you want to be out there… there were possibilities to make big gains today.”

Team boss Flavio Briatore offered little sympathy, calling the failure “a pity” but withholding further support. The public tone has cooled sharply since earlier praise, when Briatore labelled Colapinto a “super pilot.”

The Italian's current stance echoes wider unease within Alpine, where Colapinto’s five-race trial concluded in Austria. His seat is now officially evaluated “race by race.”

The growing speculation that Colapinto could be replaced by veteran Valtteri Bottas was confirmed over the weekend, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitting discussions were underway. Bottas himself addressed the rumours in an interview with Viaplay: “We’ve held talks, but they’ve just been that: talks. I haven’t signed anything yet.”

The Finnish driver added, “It’s good people are talking, but I want to keep a cool head and wait until things get clearer.” Alpine’s lack of points from Colapinto, combined with a car plagued by mechanical issues and underpowered by 20–30hp compared to rivals, is understood to be accelerating the team’s interest in an experienced replacement.

Despite the on-track woes, Colapinto has received strong support online. Alpine posted: “With you every step of the way,” on social media, prompting a wave of encouragement from Argentine fans.

His father, Aníbal Colapinto, took a more defiant tone: “Successful people are often criticized by mediocre and envious folk,” he posted on Instagram, clearly defending his son without naming names.

Pundits remain split. Infobae and The Athletic praised Colapinto’s ability to “squeeze water from stones,” especially in Canada and Austria, where he outpaced Pierre Gasly in qualifying and race stints. But Briatore was scathing after Silverstone: “Franco knows he made a mistake and needs to improve.”

Former teammate Alex Albon defended Colapinto’s 2024 form, blaming Williams’ poor car for his earlier crashes and calling him a “fantastic” talent. But comparisons with Gasly, who has scored all of Alpine’s 11 points in 2025, remain difficult to overlook. Colapinto’s best finishes remain 13th in Monaco and Canada.

While Alpine is expected to retain Colapinto for the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix, but the sense is that each race could now be his last. His commercial appeal, bolstered by a new Latin American sponsor, may buy him time, but Briatore’s mantra remains unchanged: “Don’t crash. Be fast. Score points.”

If Colapinto cannot reverse the narrative at Spa-Francorchamps, Bottas may not remain a Plan B for long.