In a shocking turn of events, Alpine has refuted claims of considering veteran racer Sergio Perez as a replacement for Franco Colapinto. The pressure is mounting on Colapinto to step up his game, but rumors of Perez swooping in seem to be unfounded.
Franco Colapinto took over the race seat at Alpine from Jack Doohan for a five-race stint amid a disappointing F1 2025 season for the team. With just 10 points in the Constructors’ Championship, Alpine has been struggling to make an impact, heavily relying on Pierre Gasly.
Colapinto’s journey with Alpine has been lackluster so far, with his best result being 13th place in Monaco. The Argentine driver, who joined from Williams, has yet to showcase the form that impressed many during his time with Williams in F1 2024.
As the speculations swirl around Colapinto’s future at Alpine, rumors of Sergio Perez making a comeback in F1 2026 have surfaced. The experienced Mexican driver, who was dropped by Red Bull at the end of F1 2024, could potentially bring stability to Alpine.
However, despite the speculations, team advisor Flavio Briatore has emphasized the need to give Colapinto time to prove himself. Briatore mentioned, “We need to wait one second to judge Franco… If Colapinto is performing, he’s driving the car. If not, we’ll see.”
With the F1 world eagerly watching the developments at Alpine, the fate of Colapinto and the potential return of Perez hang in the balance. Will Alpine stick with the struggling youngster or turn to the seasoned veteran to revitalize their team? Only time will tell in this high-stakes drama unfolding in the world of Formula 1.
