What ‘people at Alpine’ are now saying about Franco Colapinto’s form after ignoring COTA team orders

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The United States Grand Prix wasn’t the most exciting race of the season, but Alpine and Franco Colapinto gave fans a late talking point to discuss at the Circuit of the Americas.

Alpine are currently at the bottom of the constructors’ championship, and unless they repeat their double-podium heroics from last year at the upcoming Sao Paulo Grand Prix, that’s unlikely to change.

Pierre Gasly has scored 100% of Alpine’s points this season, and he’s the only driver in that position on the grid.

Gasly was initially joined by Jack Doohan at the start of the 2025 F1 season, but Franco Colapinto stepped into his seat after just six races, but is still yet to get off the mark.

Colapinto is one of four drivers currently on the grid who doesn’t have a contract for next season.

Alpine are set to decide between Colapinto and Paul Aron for 2026, and the Argentinian appears to be doing everything he can to try and impress Flavio Briatore and new team principal Steve Nielsen.

However, Colapinto ignored team orders at the end of the United States Grand Prix and overtook Gasly with Gabriel Bortoleto bearing down on him during the final laps of the race.

Although it was a fight over the final three positions in the Grand Prix, Alpine weren’t impressed by the 22-year-old’s inability to follow instructions.

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

Franco Colapinto told Flavio Briatore ‘won’t appreciate’ ignoring Alpine orders at the United States Grand Prix

Journalist Edd Straw was speaking on The Race F1 Podcast about the incident and Alpine’s feelings towards it, and he said: “Well, we do know they care. Briatore won’t appreciate it.

“And honestly, Franco Colapinto is fighting for his F1 future. He’s had a nice little run of races, making steady improvements. All he’s done there is say, I can’t be trusted.

“It doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. It was not the time to do it. I think that really signals to everyone on the team, I care way more about myself than anything else.

“Now he’s a Formula 1 driver and they’re all fundamentally to a degree selfish, but there’s a time and a place and it’s just not helping his case at all.

“And because they’ve said it’s between him and Paul Aron for next year, and this is the kind of thing that if it’s close and you think, oh, well, we don’t think there’s a huge amount between them. We think they’re both, both quite decent and got potential.

“You might say, oh, well, Franco’s incumbent, he’s got that experience. And they might say, ah, yeah, but he’s not going to pay attention to team orders.

“I just don’t see what it gains signaling to the person making the decision that you’re not going to respect a team order is not going to add anything unless you have already shown your absolute brilliant.

“You really can get away with it if you’re a mega superstar and he’s not yet shown that.”

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

What ‘people at Alpine’ are saying about Franco Colapinto’s recent improvement compared to Pierre Gasly

Straw’s colleague, Scott Mitchell-Malm, added that after ‘speaking to a couple of people at Alpine’ that Gasly was back at the top of his game in Austin after a few difficult races.

This is why they think the gap increased once again to Colapinto, and it might have been making the step forward that the Argentinian looked to have made appear more impressive than it actually was.

It’s also believed Colapinto needs more time to get up to speed than Gasly in practice sessions, making his life more difficult during Sprint weekends.

However, that can be partially forgiven due to his lack of a pre-season in the car.

Fans watching the race would have enjoyed Colapinto’s move given how little action was happening on track at that point.

However, if Briatore is looking for an excuse to replace the 22-year-old, then he’s now been handed one after he ignored team orders.

Ralf Schumacher thinks Colapinto is a weaker driver than Mick Schumacher, who was overlooked by Alpine ahead of this season.

His lack of points doesn’t help his case, although the fact that Gasly has only recorded two top 10 finishes since the Spanish Grand Prix highlights how far off the pace Alpine have fallen.