Alpine ‘increasingly likely’ to partner Pierre Gasly with one driver for the 2026 F1 season

Follow us on Google Discover

Alpine currently sit at the bottom of the constructors’ championship after a torrid 2025 campaign.

With seven races remaining in the 2025 Formula 1 season, it would require another miracle like last year’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix for Alpine to avoid finishing last.

Pierre Gasly has scored all of Alpine’s 20 points this season, and for that reason, has been rewarded with a new contract.

Flavio Briatore was initially unsure about Gasly, but he has been impressed with him enough to offer him a new deal that runs until the end of the 2028 campaign.

The conundrum Alpine now face is deciding who will join the Frenchman in the garage next season.

Franco Colapinto remains the only driver currently on the grid yet to score a point.

Briatore has suggested Alpine’s second driver will either be Colapinto or Paul Aron, who has impressed in his role as the team’s reserve throughout 2025.

However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if whichever driver misses out at Red Bull is suddenly in consideration, with Gasly keen on a reunion with Yuki Tsunoda should he become available.

Journalist Tom Clarkson has now shared what he’s heard about the Alpine driver situation, and it’s potentially good news for F1’s growing army of Argentinian fans.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Franco Colapinto is ‘increasingly likely’ to be retained by Alpine for the 2026 F1 season

Clarkson was talking to Jolyon Palmer on the F1 Nation Podcast about the Mercedes-powered teams going into next season.

He said: “JP, of those four teams, who has the best driver lineup?

“So, you’ve got Lando and Oscar at McLaren. You’ve got… Let’s work on George and Kimi at Mercedes, although that hasn’t been announced.

“You’re going to have Alex and Carlos at Williams. And Gasly’s been announced, and it looks increasingly likely that it’s going to be Colapinto in the second seat.”

Palmer suggested Russell was the best driver out of those teams, despite Piastri leading the drivers’ championship.

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

Franco Colapinto previews the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix

Colapinto has raced at the Singapore Grand Prix before, narrowly missing out on points for Williams last season.

He finished 11th, directly behind Sergio Perez, whose Red Bull seat he was briefly linked with.

Alpine staff have confirmed Colapinto will complete the 2025 season, but beyond that point, he’s still trying to guarantee his spot on the grid.

Previewing the next race on the F1 calendar, Colapinto said: “Singapore is certainly one of the toughest races throughout the season.

“The unique physical challenge is something I felt last year for the first time, so this year I have spent some time on heat-focused training to prepare for the extreme conditions.

“The track itself is very fun to drive. It’s fast, lots of technical corner combinations and, usually, the racing is quite good. I had an interesting start to last year’s race into Turn 1, very, very late on the brakes!

“I am excited to get out there, racing under the lights is always an amazing experience, and the city is a beautiful place to be able to visit as a sport.”