Franco Colapinto receives boost as one driver now doesn’t want to go ‘anywhere near’ Alpine race seat

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Alpine driver Franco Colapinto will be well aware of the pressure he’s currently under to secure his Formula 1 future.

After seven race weekends, Franco Colapinto has failed to score a point in the drivers’ championship.

At the halfway stage of the 2025 F1 season, Alpine star Pierre Gasly is the only driver to have scored 100% of his team’s points in the standings.

Even Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull and rookies Gabriel Bortoleto and Oliver Bearman have contributed more than the second side of the Alpine garage.

Jack Doohan was in the hot seat for the first six races of the campaign, but the writing appeared to be on the wall for the young Australian before the season had even started, once Colapinto was brought in on loan from Williams.

The Argentine certainly made a big impression during his first outing with Alpine, crashing during qualifying at Imola. However, David Coulthard praised Colapinto’s efforts during the race, even if he was never threatening the top 10.

However, since his debut, Colapinto has rarely challenged Gasly, and the Belgian Grand Prix was another tough event for the 22-year-old.

He was out in Q1 in both sessions and only finished ahead of Isack Hadjar on Sunday, as the Frenchman had an unspecified issue.

Colapinto is under pressure to perform, but journalist Edd Straw believes that one of the leading candidates to take his seat might not be interested after all.

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

Valtteri Bottas doesn’t want to go ‘anywhere near’ Franco Colapinto’s Alpine seat

Straw was asked on The Race F1 Podcast if Doohan should have been dropped for Colapinto after another point-less weekend at Spa, and if someone like Bottas should be brought in to replace the Argentine.

He said: “On the second part, I don’t think Bottas wants to go anywhere near Alpine at the moment.

“I think if you want to get the maximum points yield, you can throw Bottas in, and that would make a lot of sense.

“I don’t think they will, but I’m not that keen on chopping and changing drivers, and I’m not really sure Doohan should have been dropped.

“But I also don’t think Colapinto, having been put in, really, should be dropped. Now you’ve got to give him a chance. He’s shown on occasion what he can do.

“I actually think this weekend was reasonable for Colapinto if you look at the gaps in qualifying, he was just over two-tenths off Gasly in Q1. That was pretty good. I mean, it’s not brilliant, but Gasly’s really on it.

“So, Colapinto, considering he’s missed the first part of the season, is doing OK.

“So, I think we’ve just got to kind of give him a chance. I’m not sure he’s going to get that chance for a great deal longer, but it’s just that the second Alpine seat is just a mess now, isn’t it?

“And it’s not helped by the fact Gasly is just driving really, really well, week in, week out.”

READ MORE: Valtteri Bottas’ life outside F1 from girlfriend to wine and gin

Valtteri Bottas could be edging closer to Cadillac F1 seat in 2026 if Alpine no longer appeals

Valtteri Bottas made a very savvy decision when he decided to take on the role of Mercedes’ reserve driver this season.

Not only did it make him a viable option for several teams in the paddock if they needed a back-up driver at short notice, but it kept him in the conversation whenever a race seat was at risk of becoming available.

Bottas has reportedly had an offer on the table from Alpine, but his unwillingness to accept it at this stage suggests another seat is higher on his priority list.

The new team Cadillac, are yet to make an announcement on either of their two drivers for 2026.

It’s expected that Bottas is one of Cadillac’s main targets for next season, with fellow veteran Sergio Perez also in the mix.

Martin Brundle might soon get his wish of Bottas being back, as the Finnish driver, who has 10 victories to his name in Formula 1, considers all of his options.