Colapinto: I'm proud that Briatore noticed me.

      Having made his debut last year with Williams, Franco Colapinto was unable to extend his contract – the team had already reached an agreement with Carlos Sainz, but moved to Alpine, where, with the assistance of team consultant Flavio Briatore, he hopes to drive during the season.

      Franco Colapinto: "I am very proud that one day Briatore noticed me. When I was a kid, I watched Fernando win... the reality is that it was Flavio who led Schumacher to success, and then Alonso, and they were both my idols. It's a great honor that he noticed me and told me that I would become a world champion in the future.

      Last year, Williams gave me nine incredible races, and I tried to make the most of this chance to prove that I deserved to be in Formula 1. I adapted quickly and gave my all.

      Without testing in Formula 1, it's difficult to race right away, and I haven't worked a day. Nowadays, young racers drive thousands of kilometers in tests before that. Antonelli drove 10,000 kilometers, and I drove 400. So it was difficult for me from that point of view, but I think I proved that I deserve a place in Formula 1, and that's what I raced with last year.

      Of course, I made mistakes because I was giving a little more than 100%, because I didn't have a contract for next season. But I knew that on every lap, in every corner, I was giving 100%.

      I remember most of all the incident in qualifying in Las Vegas, when I tried to guide Williams to the qualifying final. I had a very good lap time... that was the mistake I remember the most. This incident made everything very difficult – the team had no spare parts left. We suffered with the suspension, which affected the races. But it was a unique experience, a dream come true. I gave it my all, and it was a very good race."