Vamos, nene! Franco Colapinto joins Alpine's 2026 F1 line up in South American power play

 

Franco Colapinto, the Argentine rising star joins BWT Alpine Formula One (F1) Team for the 2026 season. As Alpine officially announced that Colapinto will complete their 2026 driver line up stepping up from his role as reserve driver and replacing Jack Doohan back in May. The announcement was made via Alpine’s official media site with global coverage across motorsport outlets.

Alpine cited Colapinto’s strong performances in Formula Two (F2), his technical feedback and fan popularity, especially in Latin America as key reasons for his promotion.

Franco Colapinto, Alpine F1 Team driver, said: “Ever since I made my Formula One debut, I knew, given the circumstances at play, it would be a huge challenge to keep my place in this sport.”

The move aligns with Alpine’s strategy to invest in youth and long term development.

For the mathematicians and eagle eyed fans out there looking for secret clues, today’s date adds up to Colapinto’s race number which will remain on the car for the next season. Today’s confirmation is a continuation of the multi-year agreement to secure Colapinto’s driving services made in January earlier this year.

Colapinto, added: “It has been a long and tough road, I am very proud for the opportunity to drive with this team again in 2026, alongside Pierre, who has been a great team mate and will undoubtedly be someone I can continue to learn from.”

Colapinto will partner and drive alongside Gasly, who recently committed his long term future to the team. Together they will collectively help drive the team forward and bring further stability as well as continuity for the 2026 season, which presents a new opportunity in addition to a fresh start for the team in a new regulation era.

📸 Imagery courtesy of Formula One