Maria Catarineu, part of the management team of Franco Colapinto, has revealed the duration of the Argentine’s contract with Alpine F1 is a five-year one following an agreement between Flavio Briatore and James Vowles.
Flavio Briatore and his pursuit of Colapinto
Talking to infobae about the news that was announced last week, Catarineu spoke about how much the executive advisor of Alpine F1 wanted to sign Franco Colapinto.
The 21-year-old from Argentina made a big impression coming into the sport when he replaced Logan Sargeant. Colapinto scored points in his second start at Baku with a fine drive to P8. He backed it up with another one on the board at COTA. The pressure he put on Albon was something Sargeant and Latifi could not do.
However, crashes in Azerbaijan, Brazil (x2) and Las Vegas saw Red Bull’s interest in him cool. It did not deter Flavio Briatore from wanting him, though.
“It took a while because negotiations are sometimes complex, as in this case. But Flavio was always very persistent and in the last few weeks he was very intense.
“The agreement was reached because both parties got what they wanted: Flavio got to sign Franco and James [Vowles] was able to give Franco the chance to race, since the Williams’ driver pairing has long-term contracts.
“Briatore saw Franco the day he debuted in F1. When we spoke for the first time he told us: ‘I see talent. I want him.’ He followed all the races closely and Franco’s evolution as a F1 driver in the nine Grand Prix he was able to race.
“[Flavio Briatore] is a very interesting character, with a lot of personality; very passionate and very persuasive. He always had Franco in the spotlight and wanted to have him at all costs.”
Vowles respects agreement as contract length agreed
As the year came to a close, Williams team principal James Vowles stated on a number of occasions that he would let Franco Colapinto go if another team came in for him regarding a race seat. Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon are both on multi-year deals.
While Colapinto is a reserve and test driver for now, a seat at the Enstone-based squad looks inevitable.
Catarineu carefully selected her words because of confidentiality, although she admitted Franco Colapinto has signed a five-year contract with Alpine F1. It piles the pressure on Jack Doohan who has a performance clause in his.
“Williams ‘handed’ Franco to Alpine for 5 years.
“I understand that if any other team is interested in Franco, within said time window, i imagine the negotiations will be between Alpine and the other team.
“James [Vowles] is a very honest guy and he kept his word. He was committed to getting Franco a seat so he could race. He always wanted Franco to have a place in F1, and he took care of it.
“It’s a possibility [a return to Williams one day], but in five years anything can happen.”
What Colapinto will be doing at Alpine initially
As he competed in 9 Grands Prix at the end of the 2024 season, Colapinto is not eligible to do FP1 sessions for Alpine in a rookie capacity.
So the start of his chapter at the team will see the Argentine driver get up to speed via TPC.
“Franco cannot do FP1 because he is no longer a rookie. He will test on cars from two seasons ago, but he will probably be at the races.”
Is a seat at Alpine more promising than Williams?
Catarineu was asked whether Colapinto would be a big beneficiary of joining Alpine F1. The team finished 2024 very strongly, vaulting up from 9th to 6th in the Constructors’ Championship. They outdeveloped Williams.
Colapinto’s manager says it’s clear the team has potential.
“I am not going to make a judgment, whether or not it is a better team than Williams, but in the last races we saw a team that is growing and that can give a lot more. Next year they [Alpine] will have Mercedes engines, and we see a lot of potential.”
When could Colapinto get a race seat at the BWT Alpine F1 Team?
While Pierre Gasly looks to be team leader at Alpine F1 in 2025 and potentially beyond, Jack Doohan is far from safe. The driver from Queensland is facing enormous pressure two months out from the season opener in Melbourne.
After a distant gap to his French teammate on debut in Abu Dhabi, Doohan desperately needs to come out of the blocks quickly.
Colapinto showed up well against Alex Albon when he replaced Sargeant, putting even more pressure on the Australian as he fights to drive for the whole season.
Although Doohan will start the season in Melbourne as things stand, Catarineu seems confident Colapinto’s chance is coming at some point.
“Today there are two drivers who have a contract in Alpine and it’s something that we cannot control. That will be established by the team.
“I don’t know if he will debut in Australia, Miami or wherever, what I do know is that Franco showed that he can race and that’s why Alpine signed him.”
Co-Author: Fernanda Álvarez
