Franco Colapinto is an Argentine Formula 1 driver racing for BWT Alpine F1 Team with car number 43. Born 27 May 2003 in Pilar, Buenos Aires, he holds dual Argentine and Italian citizenship, with Italian heritage through his father and Ukrainian heritage through his mother, Andrea Trofimczuk. ¹

Colapinto carries significant national symbolism as the first Argentine driver in Formula 1 since Gastón Mazzacane in 2001, and the first Argentine to score points since Carlos Reutemann in 1982. His arrival reignited Argentine interest in the sport and brought substantial commercial backing to Alpine. ¹

“With Williams having signed Carlos Sainz, Colapinto joined Alpine as test and reserve driver for 2025.”

Early life and karting

Colapinto began karting at age nine and won Argentine and regional titles before relocating alone to Italy at 14 to pursue a racing career. He won the karting exhibition event at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, an early marker of his potential. ¹

Junior formulae

He announced himself by dominating the 2019 F4 Spanish Championship with Drivex, taking ten poles and eleven wins. He then finished third in the 2020 Formula Renault Eurocup with MP Motorsport, contested the Formula Regional European Championship, and progressed through the FIA Formula 3 Championship (ninth in 2022, fourth in 2023) before stepping up to FIA Formula 2 in 2024, where he took a sprint win at Imola. He had joined the Williams Driver Academy in early 2023. ¹

Formula 1 debut with Williams

Colapinto was called up by Williams to replace Logan Sargeant for the final nine races of 2024, making his debut at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He scored points almost immediately, finishing eighth at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and tenth at the United States Grand Prix, ending the year 19th in the standings with 5 points across nine starts — a striking return that made him one of the talking points of the season. ¹

Move to Alpine

With Williams having signed Carlos Sainz, Colapinto joined Alpine as test and reserve driver for 2025. After six rounds the team replaced Jack Doohan, promoting Colapinto to a race seat alongside Pierre Gasly from the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix onward. His best 2025 result was 11th at the Dutch Grand Prix, and he did not score a championship point during a campaign in which the uncompetitive Renault-powered car gave him little to work with. ¹²

2026 breakthrough

Colapinto was retained for 2026 and immediately benefited from Alpine's switch to Mercedes power. He scored his first point for the team with tenth in Shanghai, having briefly run as high as second, then took seventh at the Miami Grand Prix — promoted from eighth after a penalty for Charles Leclerc, and out-qualifying Gasly for the first time on the way to it — for what was at the time his best F1 result. He went one better at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix, recovering from a difficult Friday with no representative practice (a throttle issue cost him running) to finish sixth, a career best, and out-pacing Gasly on the day. He was candid that frontrunner retirements helped, acknowledging Alpine were not yet quick enough to fight for sixth on pure merit. ³⁴⁵

Form and areas to improve

Colapinto's race-day pace and tyre management have drawn praise, but his Saturdays remain the clearest weakness: he exited in Q2 in each of the opening rounds and was initially slow to out-qualify Gasly. Improving his single-lap pace is the lever most likely to convert his strong Sundays into bigger results, and the team has publicly identified qualifying as his main development area. ⁴⁵

Backing and the Briatore factor

Colapinto's path to a full Alpine seat was shaped by circumstance and patronage. He lost his Williams chance when the team signed Carlos Sainz for 2025, moving to Alpine as reserve before being elevated mid-season. Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore has been a consistent public backer, praising his growth and floating the idea of keeping the Gasly–Colapinto pairing into 2027 if his form holds — important reassurance for a driver who endured persistent speculation, including rumours linking Fernando Alonso to the team. Williams principal James Vowles, who oversaw his junior development, said the Argentine had 'earned' his 2026 place. ⁴⁶

Why he matters

Why it matters: Colapinto gives Alpine a young, marketable driver with a passionate national following at the moment the team is trying to rebuild its identity and commercial base. After a points-less 2025, his 2026 results validate the team's decision to back him through a difficult debut campaign, and turn the second Alpine seat from a question mark into an asset. ⁴⁶

Bottom line

Colapinto is a fast, popular driver whose 2024 Williams cameo hinted at his ceiling and whose 2026 form — a career-best sixth in Canada and regular points — shows he can deliver when the car allows. Sharpening his qualifying is the clearest route to cementing a long-term F1 future. ¹⁵