Briatore acknowledges that he is 'not satisfied' with Colapinto.

      Flavio Briatore acknowledges that he is not yet "satisfied" with Franco Colapinto’s performance at Alpine. The team replaced rookie Jack Doohan after just six races this season with another rookie, the heavily Argentinean-backed 21-year-old Colapinto, who has yet to impress his main supporter, Alpine advisor Briatore.

      "He crashed early in the first race weekend," the well-known Italian said to Sky Deutschland in Barcelona. "If I claimed to be happy, that would be a false statement. I'm not happy at all."

      In the official announcement regarding the Doohan-Colapinto change, Alpine indicated that Colapinto was assured only five races. Briatore quickly refuted that. However, it remains uncertain how long Colapinto will actually be afforded.

      "We’ll have to see how the season unfolds for him," Briatore noted. "We must also consider that Franco is quite young and facing significant pressure from various sources, not just Argentina. This (Barcelona) is his first real race, and we’ll see what he can achieve.

      "In this career, gaining confidence as quickly as possible is crucial. I hope he can achieve that and get back on track."

      Interestingly, there are new rumors in the paddock suggesting that Briatore may be considering Mick Schumacher – Alpine’s leading WEC sports car driver – for a possible return to F1.

      "I don’t think that’s the right question to ask here," Briatore responded sharply in Barcelona. "Next question. I prefer not to discuss that."

      2016 world champion Nico Rosberg interprets this as a clear warning to Colapinto. "Colapinto is currently out of favor with Flavio, and that’s not a position you want to be in," the German remarked. "Flavio completely overlooks his number 2 drivers. He has no concern for them whatsoever.

      "He treats his number 1 drivers like pets, so this is quite severe coming from Flavio."

      Mick Schumacher’s uncle Ralf understands the close relationship between his brother Michael and Briatore, sensing that an opportunity for Mick may be on the horizon. "He aims to assemble the best possible team for 2026," Schumacher explained. "Now he's allowing the drivers to showcase their abilities, and then he will make a decision. That’s undeniably harsh for a driver.

      "If you applied this to Lando Norris, he’d find himself driving in reverse circles. Not everyone can cope with Flavio. He runs a demanding program, and it’s not enjoyable for a young driver."