Breaking News : Flavio Briatore Makes Huge Alpine Decision as Franco Colapinto Secures 2027 Seat

Flavio Briatore Makes Huge Alpine Decision as Franco Colapinto Secures 2027 Seat

Alpine has settled one of the remaining questions surrounding its 2027 Formula 1 driver line-up, confirming that Franco Colapinto will continue racing for the team alongside Pierre Gasly next season. The decision means Alpine will enter 2027 with an unchanged driver pairing, following an impressive improvement from the Argentine throughout the 2026 campaign.

The announcement represents an important vote of confidence in Colapinto from Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore. The 23-year-old initially joined the Enstone-based team as a reserve driver in 2025 before being promoted to a race seat after Jack Doohan’s departure. His early period with Alpine was challenging, but he has produced considerably stronger performances during the current season.

Colapinto has already collected 19 championship points in 2026, scoring in six of the first 12 Grands Prix. His results have included a seventh-place finish in Miami and, more significantly, a sixth-place result at the Canadian Grand Prix. Those performances have helped demonstrate the progress Alpine believes he has made as a driver.

Briatore has placed particular importance on maintaining stability within the team. With Gasly already committed to Alpine through 2028, retaining Colapinto gives the squad continuity as it works toward improving its overall competitiveness.

The Alpine executive advisor has also made it clear that the driver line-up is only one part of the team’s wider project. According to Briatore, the bigger priority is producing a faster and more competitive car capable of challenging at the front of the Formula 1 field. He believes Colapinto’s development, combined with Gasly’s experience, gives the team a solid foundation for that ambition.

Colapinto’s progression has therefore played a major role in the decision. Rather than making another change to its driver combination, Alpine has chosen to continue developing the partnership it already has. The team believes the Argentine has matured significantly and has established a strong working relationship with the Enstone operation.

For Colapinto, the announcement provides greater certainty about his future in Formula 1. He has expressed his happiness at remaining with Alpine and highlighted the progress the team has made compared with the previous season. He also pointed toward the team’s long-term objective of competing for victories.

The timing of the announcement is also significant, coming as the 2026 season moves toward its next phase and Alpine prepares for the Italian Grand Prix. Colapinto will head into the Monza weekend knowing that his place on the 2027 grid is secure. He is also set to receive Alpine’s upgraded A526 package for the event after the team introduced the development with Gasly at Zandvoort.

With Colapinto now confirmed, Alpine’s 2027 plans are becoming clearer. Briatore’s decision signals that the team sees value in consistency, driver development and continued investment in its current project.

For Colapinto, the challenge now shifts from proving that he deserves the seat to demonstrating that he can help Alpine achieve its bigger ambition: becoming a regular contender at the front of Formula 1.