During a Press Conference on the final day of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, Franco Colapinto has shared his thoughts on Alpine’s performance for the 2026 campaign. The young Argentine also discussed how much more prepared he feels this season after getting to take part in pre-season testing.
Colapinto on whether the switch to Mercedes-Benz power was a good decision for the team
In 2024, Alpine signed a deal with Mercedes to run their power units from 2026. Alpine previously had their own works engine programme but decided to shut it down. Mercedes-Benz also supply Mercedes, McLaren and Williams on the current F1 grid.
During a press conference at the Bahrain pre-season test, Franco Colapinto discussed whether he thinks the team made the right decision to use Mercedes-Benz as their F1 engine supplier.
“Yeah, I think we are still learning a lot about the car, how the engine, the PU, it’s very different to last year. So, it’s very early to say, but at the moment it’s going well. We are signing all the test items that we’ve planned and it’s going more or less as we wanted.
“So, at the moment, it’s going well and smooth. But now it’s almost done here, so we’re almost ready for Australia.”
Franco Colapinto shares his predictions for Alpine during the 2026 F1 season after Bahrain test
Alpine have performed well during pre-season testing. Colapinto finished day two in Bahrain in P6 and his teammate, Pierre Gasly finished P5 on the third and final day of testing.
2025 was a difficult year for Alpine. The team finished the season in 10th with 22 points, 48 points behind Sauber. Colapinto also finished the year 20th in the Drivers’ Championship, in front of Jack Doohan who he replaced in the 7th round of the season at the Emilia Romagna GP. Both failed to score.
Colapinto discussed how he thinks Alpine will perform during the 2026 f1 season, stating that it’s “tricky to tell”. The Argentine also spoke about the challenges that they will face at the first race in Melbourne at the Australian GP.
“Yeah, I think adaptation will be one of the keys in this early part of the season. Changing track to track, everything changes. The way you drive, the deployment, we’ll see.
“We’ll need to learn a lot in the sim as well before the race comes. About the performance, it’s tricky to tell. I think there is four teams quite far ahead and it’s the rest of the teams that are very close together, between all of us. We need to wait and see in race one where we really are.”
Franco Colapinto discusses how much he will benefit from attending pre-season testing for the first time
For the first time in his two seasons in Formula One, Franco Colapinto is starting his year from the first race. In 2024, Colapinto replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams from the Italian GP. He was then made reserve driver for Alpine in 2025, quickly replacing Doohan from round 7.
Colapinto stated that he feels pre-season testing “helps a lot” after taking part in all three test weeks for 2026.
“Yeah, it really helps, I think, to arrive to race one with at least [some] mileage.
“I’m much closer to what the other guys have been learning and of course running I think it’s already like eight races in terms of mileage. So it does help a lot. That’s something I’ve been missing last year and the year before so it’s a big step and of course it always helps.”
