Alpine chiefs meet Colapinto, Gasly row at Austin GP set for talks | OneFootball

“We are disappointed. We will review it and handle it internally,” was the phrase from Steve Nielsen, Alpine’s team principal, that echoed through the team’s walls. His intention was clear: a public challenge to Franco Colapinto after he disobeyed team orders not to overtake Pierre Gasly at the United States GP. And after this internal short-circuit, the consequences will begin to take shape in the coming hours.

According to journalist Leonardo Regueira from Carburando, the Argentine driver was summoned to a meeting with team authorities this Tuesday to discuss the controversial maneuver. What does this mean? It is shaping up to be a highly tense moment for two reasons. First, Alpine’s final decision on the matter will be revealed. And second, but no less important, it will become clear just how much power Nielsen holds following his arrival at the team.

Nielsen’s stance is aligned with that of Pierre Gasly, who, though more measured, did not hide his discomfort. “I did my part, honestly. I shouldn’t even have been there. I care more about performance than these kinds of things. I’m sure we’ll review it within the team. These are things we need to handle in the office, and there’s no point venting frustration here,” said the French driver when asked about the heated ending in the United States.

Thus, the message seems clear: the team considers the Argentine at fault, and he will not be going into the meeting with the upper hand. At least that’s what Alpine’s recent official statement suggests, reaffirming that “any order from the pit wall is final.” A statement which, combined with Nielsen’s “disappointment,” could be a blow to the Argentine’s ambition to prove his worth on every inch of the track.

At the moment of the action that sparked the controversy, Colapinto had a better pace than his teammate and was getting closer and closer. From the pit wall, the radio order was clear: “Hold positions.” However, the Argentine, feeling the pressure from Gabriel Bortoleto’s Sauber behind, decided to ignore the instruction and overtook Gasly at the first corner. His argument was blunt: “It was the right thing to do. He had older tires.”

The clash of positions that the episode unleashed revived an old statement from Flavio Briatore, a key figure at Alpine, who, when asked weeks ago what Colapinto needed to stay in the category, replied bluntly: “Go faster.” The driver from Pilar did just that in Austin, but with an attitude that did not go down well and could end up having consequences for next year.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.