Briatore suggests Alpine's prospects with Gasly and Colapinto.

      "I strive to perform at my best every single time."

      Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto seem increasingly likely to continue as Alpine's race drivers in 2027. Amid rumors suggesting a dramatic return of Fernando Alonso to the Enstone-based team, executive advisor Flavio Briatore mentioned prior to the Austrian GP that he plans to maintain the current lineup. Briatore characterized Gasly as one of the top six drivers in Formula 1, indicating that a final decision will be reached around the summer break. Gasly, who recently received the Monaco GP third-place trophy from Isack Hadjar following a successful appeal related to a pitlane speeding issue, appreciated Briatore’s support.

      "I believe I am," Gasly said with a smile when questioned about Briatore’s evaluation. "It’s great to hear it from Flavio, but I’ve been around long enough to recognize that I need to concentrate on my own performance. I aim to be the best I can whenever I’m in the car, and sometimes the best I can manage is a 15th place finish from last year. That doesn’t imply that I’m a poor driver. It’s nice to receive recognition from Flavio, and we’re collaborating very well, so I’m pleased with the dynamic we share as a team and I just want us to enhance our performance even further."

      Colapinto, whose time at Alpine has included both support and criticism from Briatore, also indicated that the relationship between them remains strong. "I caught a glimpse of what he mentioned," the Argentine driver remarked at the Red Bull Ring. "His comments were very positive, and the interview was quite enjoyable. Flavio is very supportive, though he has been quite tough on me at times, which was necessary. It also relies on how I handle those instances, and fortunately, I managed them well, improved, and learned from them. They were incredibly beneficial."

      He continued, "Everyone knows that Flavio has extensive experience in this sport and has achieved great success, so leveraging his knowledge and feedback for improvement, understanding where to focus, and becoming mentally stronger is very advantageous. Over time, it becomes a strength." When asked when he would have clarity about 2027, Colapinto replied, "We haven’t talked about the 2027 prospects yet, as we are entirely focused on each race one at a time."