‘Completely overwhelmed’ F1 driver could now immediately lose his seat with a blunder in Baku

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Formula 1 travels to Baku next for round 17 of the 24 due in the 2025 season, but the Azerbaijan Grand Prix might even now prove to be one driver’s final time on the grid.

Baku has welcomed the pinnacle of motorsport since the 2016 F1 season and seen a host of duels on the streets of the City of Wind. But while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris continue their duel for the F1 drivers’ championship, another star is fighting for their future.

Seats on the 2026 F1 grid are now at a premium, with only Alpine, Red Bull and Mercedes in control of the final six vacancies. Red Bull are yet to decide Max Verstappen’s teammate and Racing Bulls’ 2026 line-up with Yuki Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson out of contract.

While Alpine signed Pierre Gasly to a new contract through 2028, the Renault-owned squad are yet to decide the Frenchman’s teammate for 2026. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has stated that they will retain George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, but both are out of contract.

Alpine may now drop Franco Colapinto after the 2025 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku

Alpine may also now make another change to their driver line-up before the 2025 F1 season comes to a close. Krone reports that Alpine might drop Franco Colapinto after next Sunday’s Azerbaijan GP if the 22-year-old produces another blunder in Baku after a disappointing run.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Alpine’s Mercedes F1 engine deal starting in 2026

Baku proved to be a happy hunting ground for Colapinto one year ago, as the Argentine took his first points finish in F1 with P8 for Williams in only his second Grand Prix start. But Alpine are yet to see Colapinto score a single point for them since he replaced Jack Doohan in May.

Colapinto is now 10 rounds into his time driving for Alpine, but his P17 finish in last Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza has now put the Buenos Aires native under ‘immense pressure’. Alpine feel Colapinto is performing ‘far below’ the standard they need, so they may axe him.

What Colapinto produced at Monza has left Alpine with serious concerns, and it is no longer unlikely that he fails to see out this season. So, any blunder in Baku next week might be the last nail in his coffin, with Colapinto seeming ‘completely overwhelmed’ in the Alpine A525.

Flavio Briatore has a wealth of options to replace Franco Colapinto, including Alex Dunne

Alpine would like to finish the 2025 season with Colapinto partnering Gasly through the final eight rounds. But his ongoing plight since replacing Doohan from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola in May is leaving Alpine rooted to the bottom of the F1 constructors’ standings.

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

Only Gasly has scored a point for Alpine this year, with the Frenchman posting 20 – including 13 since Colapinto replaced Doohan. Colapinto came closest at Zandvoort to scoring his first point for Alpine with P11 in the Dutch Grand Prix, but he then finished P17 in the Italian GP.

Now, rumours are rife of Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore exploring potential options to replace Colapinto, albeit mainly in view of the 2026 season. But a blunder in Baku may be too much for Briatore to ignore, with time still in hand to find a potentially stronger line-up.

Briatore has held talks with Zhou Guanyu about joining Alpine, with the 26-year-old Chinese driver keen to return to the grid after spending 2025 as Ferrari’s reserve. Additionally, Alpine are due to test McLaren junior Alex Dunne, with Zak Brown open to loaning the 19-year-old.

Alternatively, Briatore may promote from within once more in search of the best teammate for Gasly in 2026. Reserve driver Paul Aron has impressed Alpine with his FP1 appearances this year, after driving for Sauber in Britain and Hungary as well as Alpine in Italy last week.