Franco Colapinto opened up about his future with Alpine as the Brazilian Grand Prix approaches, admitting he’s taking things “race by race” while finding it “harsh” that he hasn’t scored points this season.
The Argentine driver has had a tough time since joining Formula 1, failing to put any points on the board during his stint with Alpine. Despite this, he’s confident his performance is on an upward trajectory.
Colapinto stepped in after Jack Doohan left following the Miami Grand Prix. Doohan also struggled with the A525 car. Sources at GPblog indicate Alpine will announce next year’s driver lineup soon, with Colapinto likely to keep his seat.
When asked about his plans before the Brazilian race, Colapinto didn’t commit to anything specific.
“I don’t know. I’m going race by race, and I’m trying to focus on this weekend,” he said. “It’s a track and a place that I just enjoy very much. And to be again in Formula 1 racing in Brazil for me is very special.”
Last year wasn’t smooth sailing for the young driver.
“Last year was not easy for me and was not as enjoyable as I wanted. In the paddock and with the things that happened, it was quite tricky for me.”
He’s eager to put on a good show for his supporters who’ve made the journey to Brazil.
“I just want to have a good weekend for them, to try to enjoy with the fans. I know they did a big effort to come all the way to Brazil, and I want to give them something nice.”
“It feels tricky and harsh not being able to be close to the points at the moment when I feel that I’ve done big steps in terms of personal performance,” Colapinto admitted.
He views his challenging experiences as valuable learning opportunities.
“I learned a lot. I think it was a very good lesson. It was my first time in an F1 car in the rain, and here in Brazil, with the flooding of the track was very tricky with the inters.”
Though difficult, he values these experiences.
“So it was a harsh experience, but it was a good one to have, and I was very happy to have had that experience this year. I’m of course very happy to have it and to know what to expect, and I’m just in a better position.”
Driving in wet conditions at this particular track presented unique challenges for the newcomer.
“It’s a tricky track, especially in the wet, and to be driving your first time in an F1 car here, under the water, it’s tricky. It was definitely a tough experience, but I will do it.”
The team’s overall struggles have been challenging for morale.
“We are not in a good position at the moment. We are not performing as we want and as we expect at this point in the year. So it’s tricky for us as a team to be motivated and to stay strong together, but we are at the moment.”
GPblog’s analysis of Colapinto’s performance suggests Doohan might have been dropped too early in the season.
While teammate Pierre Gasly has secured all of Alpine’s 20 points this season, Colapinto has outperformed him in qualifying four times and in races six times.
Despite sitting at the bottom of the Drivers’ Standings, the Argentine driver has been remarkably close to his teammate on track. The results just haven’t reflected this reality.
## Colapinto convinced he’s made “big steps” in performance
“I want to stay fully focused on this season and try to finish better than last year,” Colapinto said. “But we are now making a big effort, and we will give the same effort as well to give them some results back.”
He’s worked closely with the team to address issues with the car.
“I worked a lot with the boys in the factory, with the engineers, and we kind of figured out a way to make it more comfortable for me, and I think since then we have understood much more our limitations and where the issues were coming from.”
His comfort level in the car continues to improve.
“To me, I’m feeling more comfortable with the car. I think race after race, I’m feeling better, and as a team, we are working better as well, so it’s of course improved, but in hindsight, we have some lost pace in the car.”
The lack of points is particularly frustrating given his personal progress.
“It feels tricky and harsh not being able to be close to the points at the moment when I feel that I’ve done big steps in terms of personal performance. So we are working hard as a team to try and make it better, to extract more from the car.”
Racing at Interlagos represents the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Colapinto.
“If I dreamt about one thing, it was to be racing in Brazil, to be racing at Interlagos with all these fans, with all the people supporting me. It was the one thing I wanted to do, to be here as a racing driver and to be here with Alpine, so I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be here.”
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