#43 · Alpine
Franco Colapinto
First Argentine F1 driver since 2001. Substituted for Logan Sargeant at Williams late in 2024, scored points in his second race, was signed by Alpine reserve, then promoted full-time for 2026.
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Race wins
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Podiums
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Pole positions
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Championships
Why he matters
Colapinto’s late-2024 cameo at Williams was one of the most viral rookie debuts in years. He delivered points at Baku in his second race, then drove a string of strong qualifying laps that put a midfield car into Q3 multiple times. Alpine signed him as reserve for 2025 and promoted him to full-time for 2026 alongside Pierre Gasly.
How he drives
Aggressive, instinctive, and accident-prone in his rookie cameo — three big crashes in his first ten weekends. He has since matured. The South American driving press compares his car-control style to Juan Manuel Fangio, which is a heavy comparison and not necessarily fair.
Watch for
- Argentine flags in the crowd — his fan base travels in numbers everywhere.
- His battles with teammate Gasly — Colapinto is fast, Gasly is the established midfield benchmark, this is genuinely a 50/50 pairing.
- His race-day overtakes — he commits to moves earlier than most drivers, sometimes too early.