Lewis Hamilton will love Alpine’s Franco Colapinto promotion decision after what he said about him last season

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A familiar face is returning to the Formula 1 grid for the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after Alpine confirmed that Franco Colapinto will be replacing Jack Doohan.

Franco Colapinto has been given a five-race contract by Alpine following the first six Grand Prix of the season.

Unfortunately, Jack Doohan is still yet to get off the mark in the drivers’ championship, and while his teammate Pierre Gasly only has seven points, his best result of 13th highlights how he’s never really been in contention to break into the top 10.

F1 Oversteer understood that Doohan’s race seat was in trouble in the immediate aftermath of the Miami Grand Prix.

He failed to make it past the first lap after a collision with Liam Lawson that summed up his time on the grid this year.

That’s offered Colapinto a second spell in Formula 1 after completing the final nine races of the 2024 campaign.

This might be good news to Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton, based on his comments on the 21-year-old towards the end of last season.

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Lewis Hamilton told Franco Colapinto how ‘important’ Formula 1 return was in 2025

Colapinto was racing for Williams last season and alongside Alex Albon was simply fighting to try and finish in the top 10 every week.

Esteban Ocon apologised to Colapinto for stealing the fastest lap off him at the United States Grand Prix, which only highlighted how quick the Argentine was at times in 2024.

Speaking in the FIA’s pre-race press conference at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Hamilton was asked about Colapinto’s F1 future and said, ​​“I think he’s done an incredible job.

“Last-minute, to be called upon and thrown into the deep end in this sport.

“So he just jumped straight in and he did a fantastic job. It’s always great to see young people and talented individuals get the opportunity to come through and shine and I think he did that in the first race really,” he continued.

“He’s saying it’s not for him to decide [whether he is on the grid in 2025], but my advice would be to make sure that, I would be pushing on my side to make sure [it’s a possibility].”

Colapinto certainly followed Hamilton’s advice and it wasn’t long before he was on Alpine’s radar.

While Colapinto’s camp don’t have the best reputation in the paddock given how many teams he’s been linked with, they’ve ultimately done their job getting him a race seat.

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Lewis Hamilton and Franco Colapinto could do battle again at Imola

Colapinto scored five points in his nine races at Williams, finishing P10 in Austin but pulling off his best result in Azerbaijan.

He outqualified Albon before finishing eighth, and had a great battle with Hamilton that day.

Colapinto said it was a ‘dream come true’ to race Hamilton in Baku and while Alpine aren’t in the strongest position right now, neither are Ferrari.

James Vowles lauded Colapinto for his Sprint Race performance in Brazil when he was once again on Hamilton’s radar.

Gasly hasn’t managed to finish ahead of a Ferrari driver this season aside from when Charles Leclerc failed to start the Sprint Race in Miami.

However, Colapinto is an expert at Imola, having previously won at the circuit during his time in Formula 2.

That might give him the edge he needs to impress new team principal Flavio Briatore and extend his contract beyond the next five races.