Briatore backs Colapinto: says he finished “very close” to Gasly | OneFootball

After a complicated start with Alpine, replacing Jack Doohan mid-season, Franco Colapinto’s year went from strength to strength and left him with good feelings looking ahead to what’s coming in 2026. This was the assessment made by Flavio Briatore, head of the French team, who admitted to having seen clear growth in the Argentine and even stated that he finished “very close” to Pierre Gasly, his teammate.

“I spent a lot of time with Franco and noticed a change in him. His maturity in recent months changed completely. I pushed him, and now everyone believes he is fantastic for us and that he’s the right teammate for Pierre. In fact, if you look at the last races, they have been very close, and I consider Pierre to be one of the best drivers in F1,” said the Italian, according to Last Word on Sports.

The reality is that Colapinto’s growth throughout the year was clear. After a difficult adaptation, the Argentine was unable to score points, but he noticeably closed the gap between his car and Gasly’s, something Doohan was unable to do in his six races with the team.

This achievement takes on another dimension if you also consider that the departure of the Australian driver was not the only tumultuous moment the team experienced during the year, as they also had to deal with the scandalous exit of Oliver Oakes as team principal shortly before the arrival of the driver from Pilar as a full-time driver.

Now, the arrival of the new regulations and Mercedes engines from 2026 promises to reset the project. With no room for technical excuses, the Enstone factory will face a season where it must show clear progress to regain ground after dropping from fighting for “best of the rest” to finishing at the bottom of the table in just three years.

With so many changes underway, the team will arrive in Australia under unprecedented pressure, forced to prove that the rebuild is progressing and that the driver pairing can capitalize on a competitive package from the very first race.

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