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Flavio Briatore says Franco Colapinto and Paul Aron are in a straight fight for the second Alpine Formula 1 seat next year, with other contenders now all but ruled out
Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Paul Aron are the main contenders for the team’s second Formula 1 seat next year, with other possibilities mostly ruled out.
Executive advisor Flavio Briatore stated his intention to look within Alpine’s internal driver pool for the decision, dismissing options from F2 or Red Bull’s roster like Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda.
Briatore emphasized that the choice between Colapinto and Aron would be solely performance-based, with no personal management ties influencing the decision.
Despite Colapinto’s progression and Aron’s impressive FP1 showings, Briatore revealed it as a head-to-head battle between the two for the seat alongside Pierre Gasly in 2026.
The decision-making process will take a few more races, as Briatore explained he is focusing on bringing in the best driver available to optimize the team’s performance.
Additionally, Briatore highlighted his disinterest in drivers outside of the current F1 grid, pointing out the lack of standout talents in Formula 2 that could be considered for Alpine’s second seat.
