Colapinto retraces his steps after Alpine removes a critical post.

      "Instructions from the team must always be adhered to."

      Franco Colapinto has released a conciliatory statement ahead of the Mexican GP after Alpine discreetly removed a previous social media post that criticized his disregard for team orders in Austin. The post, which featured a quote from team manager Steve Nielsen labeling Colapinto’s actions as "disappointing" and mentioning an upcoming internal review, vanished from Alpine’s official channels earlier this week—leading to speculation that any underlying tensions were being resolved behind closed doors.

      Now, the 22-year-old Argentine has taken a much more composed approach. "The team situation on Sunday has been discussed internally, and it is evident that instructions from the team must always be followed, regardless of the circumstances," Colapinto stated. "We are united, and we are all striving toward the same objective of improving with each session and each race weekend."

      The incident in Austin, where Colapinto overtook teammate Pierre Gasly for 17th place despite being ordered to maintain his position, garnered unusual public criticism from Enstone’s management. Adding to the intrigue, Alpine junior Paul Aron is set to drive Gasly’s car in Friday practice in Mexico City—part of Formula 1’s required rookie-session initiative, but many view this appearance as emblematic in light of the uncertainty surrounding Colapinto’s long-term prospects.

      Aron, Alpine’s 21-year-old reserve driver, is evidently next in line after Colapinto for a racing position.