Flavio Briatore in Argentina to secure Colapinto’s Alpine future | OneFootball

Flavio Briatore, the main advisor and decision-maker at Alpine, was in Buenos Aires two weeks ago to meet with sponsors of Franco Colapinto, who will soon be confirmed as a main driver for Formula 1 in 2026.

According to the French media L’Auto-Journal, the Italian traveled to the country immediately after the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, where the Argentine driver disobeyed a team order and overtook his teammate Pierre Gasly to finish 17th, a decision for which he later had to apologize.

The publication claims that Briatore met, before the event in Mexico, with representatives of the companies that financially support Colapinto. The main one being Mercado Libre, which also holds a prominent place in the car's design for the final races.

At the same time, it is unclear whether the confirmation will be for one or two seasons, with a renewal clause. But it is certain that the 22-year-old from Pilar will drive the A526, under the new category regulations, during 2026.

Additionally, the article highlights a strong internal disagreement within Alpine. The new CEO of Renault, François Provost, and other top executives want to separate Briatore from the F1 team, which from next year will use Mercedes engines, instead of those produced by the diamond brand until this year.

Nevertheless, that is another story. The important thing is that Colapinto will be in 2026 in that select group reserved for 22 drivers in the world's top motorsport category. Only the official announcement is missing, which is expected this week.

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