Flavio Briatore Sends Stern Warning to Franco Colapinto After Disappointing Performance
In a shocking turn of events at the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto received a harsh message from none other than Flavio Briatore himself. The racing mogul made it crystal clear that Colapinto needs to step up his game after failing to make it through to Q3.
While Colapinto struggled to find his pace, his teammate Pierre Gasly shined on the track, securing a spot in Q3 and ultimately finishing 10th on the grid. Colapinto’s costly lock-up at Turn 3 during Q2 left him in 14th place, a far cry from where Briatore believes he should be.
Expressing his disappointment, Briatore stated, “Clearly the car was good enough for Q3, but we are still lacking having two cars up where they should be. Franco was through Q1 but too far away to reach Q3, which we need to improve if we are to put ourselves in a more competitive position with both cars.”
The pressure is on for Colapinto, especially since he is currently on a race-by-race deal. Despite being promised a spot in the car for the upcoming British Grand Prix, the Argentinean driver has yet to prove his worth to Briatore for a long-term commitment.
Colapinto’s journey with Alpine has been rocky, with crashes and failed qualifications marring his performances. However, a glimmer of hope emerged in Canada when he made it to Q2 for the first time. Despite these small victories, Colapinto has yet to secure any points for Alpine, leaving the team languishing at the bottom of the constructors’ championship.
Explaining his recent setback in Austria, Colapinto cited challenging weather conditions, including unpredictable gusts of wind, as a contributing factor to his Turn 3 error. Despite acknowledging his need for improvement, Colapinto remains determined to excel on the track and prove his critics wrong.
