Briatore refutes Colapinto's claim of having a guarantee for just five races.

      "Drive quickly, avoid crashing the car, accumulate points."

      Flavio Briatore has retracted his earlier statement claiming that Franco Colapinto is assured only the next five grand prix races in Jack Doohan’s Alpine seat. Following the recent Miami GP, the Enstone-based team announced their plan to "rotate" the second seat next to Pierre Gasly. In the official statement, executive advisor Briatore mentioned, "After evaluating the first races of the season, we have decided to put Franco in the car alongside Pierre for the next five races."

      Upon arriving in Imola, several F1 drivers voiced their criticism of the tough decision—both the replacement of Doohan after just six races and the limited five-race commitment for rookie Colapinto. Colapinto himself expressed confusion over the situation. "After hearing Carlos (Sainz) say he needs about ten races to adjust to a car, I think five isn’t enough for me," the 21-year-old stated. "But it’s what I have, and I want to make the most of it, enjoy it, and try my best for the team."

      It’s believed that the five-race limit is Briatore’s strategy to apply pressure on Colapinto’s high-value sponsors. However, he now downplays any specific outcomes following the Austrian GP at the end of June. "It’s not that a driver is limited to three or five races," Briatore explained at Imola, "but I was disappointed with Doohan. I expected more from Jack, but perhaps he needs a break. The team will decide how many races Colapinto will participate in," the flamboyant Italian continued. "I’ve read somewhere that he has five races, but we haven’t actually established a cap on how many races he can compete in."

      Briatore emphasizes that he is only asking Colapinto to meet three requirements to keep his seat "permanently." "Drive fast, avoid crashing the car, score points. I don’t expect a long list of demands, but if he does those three, he will always race. If he performs well, he’ll stay indefinitely, not just for five races."

      On Friday, Colapinto was noticeably slower than Gasly, and he also frustrated several other drivers by not yielding on the track. Max Verstappen referred to him as "this guy" while accusing Colapinto of using DRS to block the Red Bull from passing. "I think everyone was annoyed by Franco Colapinto," Dutch commentator Olav Mol remarked to Ziggo Sport. "He impeded Fernando Alonso significantly and was also a major hindrance for Lewis Hamilton. I’m not trying to be unpopular, but I’m not really a fan of Colapinto. The entire world is chasing after him, claiming he’s exceptional. All of Argentina hails him as the best thing since running water. I don’t buy any of it."

      Meanwhile, after stepping down as Alpine team principal amid purported connections to his brother's legal issues with Williams, Oliver Oakes made a return to the Formula 2 paddock in Imola. Although Briatore is effectively leading Alpine, he is not recognized as such by the FIA, as he is not a direct employee of the team and does not possess the necessary license. For the time being, Alpine has appointed Dave Greenwood as the official liaison. "Regarding the role of team principal, I need to evaluate the situation," Briatore stated. "For now, I’m taking over, but I’m accustomed to that. It’s not my first day."