Alpine F1’s Briatore Affirms No Set Race Limit for Colapinto

Flavio Briatore, Alpine's executive advisor currently acting as team principal, has clarified that Argentine rookie Franco Colapinto does not have a set limit on the number of races he will drive this season, despite earlier announcements suggesting a five-race evaluation period. Colapinto replaced Jack Doohan mid-season after Doohan's performances were deemed insufficient, and Briatore emphasized that Colapinto is expected to be fast, avoid crashes, and score points to secure a longer tenure with the team. Briatore's comments came after Colapinto crashed heavily in his qualifying debut at Imola, a setback given Briatore's performance expectations. The initial press release stated the five-race period would allow Alpine to try something different before reassessing, but Briatore later dismissed the notion of a fixed limit, stating Colapinto will race "as much as needed" if he meets the criteria. Briatore also addressed the sudden resignation of former team principal Oliver Oakes, attributing it to personal reasons and affirming that despite organizational changes, the team remains united. These developments highlight Alpine's ongoing efforts to stabilize its driver lineup amidst internal changes and performance pressures.