Franco Colapinto Opens Up About His Turbulent 2025 Season: A Year of Frustration and Lessons Learned
In a stunning admission that has sent shockwaves through the Formula 1 community, rising star Franco Colapinto has revealed the harsh reality of his inaugural full-time season with Alpine. The 22-year-old Argentine, who was thrust back into the limelight after his unexpected departure from Williams, has faced a year filled with challenges that left him feeling utterly incapable of achieving the speed and success he once thrived on.
Franco’s saga began when Alpine extended a lifeline to him, assigning him a reserve role after the team opted not to retain Jack Doohan as their primary driver. Doohan’s early promise quickly fizzled out, and after just six races, Alpine made the bold decision to replace him with Colapinto. Despite a promising track record from his previous season with Williams, the reality of racing for Alpine in 2025 proved to be a brutal awakening for Colapinto.
“This year was a very long year,” Colapinto confessed during an interview with Rolling Stone Argentina. His words echo the sentiments of many within the team, as Alpine openly acknowledged that the 2025 season was not destined for success. With the team abandoning their 2025 car early in favor of developing their 2026 challenger, the stage was set for a tumultuous year filled with setbacks.
Colapinto’s performance, marked by an unfortunate statistic—being one of the only drivers, alongside Doohan, to leave the season without a single point—speaks volumes about the struggles he faced. “I had never had a year where I said, ‘I can’t win, I can’t make it to the podium, I can’t fight for a position,’” he lamented. For an athlete driven by competition, such a realization is nothing short of devastating.
The young driver described his season as a “sudden learning curve,” where he grappled not only with performance but also with emotional management amidst adversity. “It was a tough year for everyone,” he reflected, emphasizing the collective challenges faced by the team. The reality of striving for points, which for them meant simply gaining a single point, added an extra layer of frustration to an already difficult campaign.
Looking ahead, both Colapinto and Alpine find themselves at a pivotal moment as new regulations loom on the horizon, promising to reshape the competitive landscape of Formula 1. This shift could provide a much-needed fresh start for both parties, allowing them to redefine their strategies and ambitions moving forward.
In a sport where every fraction of a second counts, Colapinto’s experience serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of racing. As he prepares for a new chapter, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if this talented driver can turn the page on a challenging year and emerge stronger in the face of adversity. The question remains: can Franco Colapinto reclaim his place among the elite in the upcoming season? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain—this young driver is not ready to back down just yet.
