Briatore: Gasly should concentrate a little more.

      Colapinto struggles to cope with F1 pressure

      Flavio Briatore is not quite ready to praise the performance of his latest Formula 1 protege, Franco Colapinto. After Alpine replaced Jack Doohan with Colapinto, the team advisor made headlines by stating that the young Argentine was guaranteed only five races. However, he quickly clarified to journalists in the paddock that there is no set limit on Colapinto's time in the car.

      "For me, it’s a great honor to know that Flavio believes in me," Colapinto, 21, said to Spanish-language reporters in Barcelona. "Just like he believed in Fernando (Alonso). He (Briatore) is a legend, and there’s a sense that he’s working to elevate the team to where it belongs."

      Nonetheless, Colapinto’s debut with Alpine in Imola was particularly challenging, marked by a significant crash, which contradicted Briatore's pre-race expectations for him. Monaco proved to be only slightly better, but Colapinto insists he is still adjusting.

      "It’s going to take a few races," Colapinto remarked in Barcelona. "After hearing from Carlos (Sainz) and Lewis (Hamilton), who have switched teams, they still don’t feel they're maximizing their car's top speed. I believe there’s much more to come from me soon."

      Interestingly, 75-year-old Briatore has tempered his enthusiasm for Colapinto. When asked if he has the ideal driver lineup at Alpine, he shook his head. "The easiest path to victory is signing Max Verstappen, but we can’t do that," he stated. "So we need to work with what we have."

      Briatore described Pierre Gasly as "very good," but indicated he needs to be more focused. "However, in a good car, he can be a top driver. You either have speed, or you don’t. And Pierre has it," Briatore told Le Monde.

      Regarding Colapinto, Briatore noted a change in tone. "He is fast, but he still struggles to handle pressure. If you are quick but crash, that speed is useless," he added.

      On a positive note for Alpine, Colapinto enjoys significant support from both the government and corporate sectors in Argentina. "It's fantastic," he acknowledged. "In Argentina, there is a lot of passion, and people were eager to have representation in Formula 1 again after so many years. I’m cherishing this moment and hope the Argentinians feel the same."

      It's widely believed within the paddock that Alpine will move into the 2026 season with Gasly and Colapinto as their driver lineup. "In 2026, we can win races," Briatore asserted. "And in 2027, we are gearing up for the world championship."

      Next year, with the introduction of new regulations, Alpine will start the season using customer Mercedes engines. "This is a transitional year for us," Briatore mentioned. "All our efforts are directed towards next year's car. We must capitalize on the new rules and, on our part, we cannot make any more excuses; we need to be competitive. We owe it to Renault, Alpine, and Luca de Meo."