Alpine have identified ‘leading candidate’ to replace Franco Colapinto if they make a 2025 switch

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Alpine have identified which driver they would choose if they decide to replace Franco Colapinto before the end of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Franco Colapinto has had a very difficult start to life as an Alpine driver.

The Italian Grand Prix last weekend was the first time Colapinto had raced at the same circuit twice as an F1 driver.

He finished 12th at Monza as a Williams driver, before coming home in P17 last Sunday, switching places with Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly in the closing stages of the race.

The 22-year-old is the only active driver on the grid who hasn’t scored a point in the drivers’ championship after replacing Jack Doohan, who also failed to trouble the scorers.

There are suggestions Colapinto could be dropped after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as the Argentinian hasn’t signed a new contract for 2026 yet, and Flavio Briatore is notorious for not being particularly patient.

That seems unlikely, but with Alpine trying to secure the best line-up possible for 2026, a late switch might not be off the cards.

It means current reserve driver Paul Aron could be in line to become the first Estonian driver to compete in F1 if it’s decided a swap is required.

READ MORE: Who is Alpine 2025 F1 driver Franco Colapinto? Everything you need to know

Paul Aron is now Alpine’s ‘leading candidate’ to replace Franco Colapinto this season

A report from PlanetF1 has shared more details about Alpine’s driver situation.

Colapinto has started to impress Alpine behind the scenes, particularly after missing out on a top 10 finish at the Dutch Grand Prix by a matter of milliseconds.

It’s likely that Colapinto will see out the rest of the season unless something goes dramatically wrong for the 22-year-old.

He’s started to close the gap to Gasly in qualifying after regularly being the slowest driver in practice sessions, highlighting how important missing out on pre-season can be to a driver’s development across a season.

The report from PlanetF1 goes on to say that Aron is the ‘leading candidate’ should Alpine decide to swap Colapinto out.

Aron has impressed Alpine staff behind the scenes and taken part in several FP1 sessions this year as part of a partnership with Sauber.

It’s believed that Aron would come in for the ‘final two or three races’ if a swap were to be made, but that would be in time for the most gruelling triple header of the season, making life very difficult for the Estonian.

READ MORE: Who is Alpine reserve driver Paul Aron? All to know from age to racing stats

Ted Kravitz provides Franco Colapinto update ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

After another frustrating race at Monza, Colapinto was no closer to scoring his first championship point for Alpine.

The French team simply weren’t competitive enough to challenge for a top 10 finish, with both drivers eliminated in Q1.

Colapinto started ahead of Gasly, but with last in the constructors’ championship all but assured unless Alpine can secure another extraordinary result like the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in 2024, it’s very much a head-to-head battle between teammates, rather than comparing either driver to the rest of the grid.

After the race in Italy, Ted Kravitz provided an update on Colapinto’s future and said he expected the 22-year-old to be on the grid in Baku.

Alpine will know their Renault power unit is going to make scoring points in Azerbaijan difficult, given how long the main straight is and their reduced power compared to their rivals.

That won’t help Colapinto if his future is at risk, but he has to hope Briatore and new team principal Steve Neilsen take that into context when determining their next steps.