(Motorsport-Total.com) – After an extremely difficult 2025 season, Alpine is once again fighting this year for the title “Best of the Rest” – in other words, to lead the midfield of Formula 1 behind the four top teams. However, the ambitions of the Enstone-based racing team go far beyond that, especially for Flavio Briatore, the flamboyant chief advisor who effectively runs the team.
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As is well known, the now 76-year-old Italian can be ruthless both in his decisions and in his communication – an experience that Franco Colapinto has already experienced several times firsthand. Nevertheless, the Argentine driver believes that Briatore’s approach is necessary to ultimately close the gap to the top.
“I believe in his process. You have to understand him. But I think to be successful in Formula 1 and to achieve the goal that every midfield team has – namely to catch up with Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, and McLaren – you need someone like Flavio.”
The most fitting example, according to Colapinto, was after the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. Alpine scored points with both cars at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which would normally be considered a success given the gap to the four top teams. However, Briatore saw it differently.
“We finished sixth and eighth in Canada, those were fantastic points for the team. But after the race, Flavio was not satisfied at all and pushed the team further. He was almost the unhappiest person in the entire team,” says Colapinto in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com, a sister platform of Motorsport-Total.com in the Motorsport Network.
“The reason was how far behind Ferrari we were compared to Miami. He wanted to understand why. Everyone was very happy about the points, but he just said: ‘No, no, I want more. I don’t like where we stand, and Racing Bulls are too close on our heels. They are closer than in Miami, so why is that happening? I want answers and I want us to improve even more.'”
Colapinto: Alpine needs Briatore’s style
Briatore’s leadership style may come across as harsh, but according to Colapinto, that is exactly what is needed in Formula 1 to reach the top – especially for a team like Alpine that needs to make up ground.
“Applying this pressure on the team, even when things are going well, is his way of leading the team. And from my personal perspective, it is a way to be successful in F1 and catch up with the top teams,” says the Argentine.
“Flavio is an absolute competitor. He only returned to Formula 1 to win, and I really appreciate that because I am the same way.”
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This means that Alpine’s progress this year is still not enough to bring satisfaction within the team. Yes, after the catastrophic 2025 season, the first half of this year was undoubtedly a step forward, but it is still not where the bar is set.
“I am very proud of the steps we have taken, but we are all extremely ambitious and not satisfied with just being at the top of the midfield. It is true that the steps this year have been huge, but we always strive for more,” says Colapinto.
Can the Gucci deal help Alpine take the next step?
This applies not only on the sporting front but also commercially. Gucci will join as the team’s title sponsor next season, and according to Colapinto, Briatore’s influence is also evident in this development.
The 23-year-old sees the announcement of Gucci in two ways. First, he views it as confirmation that Alpine is on the rise again after 2025. A prestigious brand like Gucci would not want to associate with a team that is hopelessly lagging behind. For Colapinto, the deal is therefore a vote of confidence – at least there is belief in the potential of the project.
All Formula 1 cars from Renault/Alpine
Second, Colapinto believes the partnership will help Alpine turn ambitions for the next step into reality. The deal gives the team greater financial flexibility, which is also important regarding the parent company Renault. Because if the heaviest financial burdens can be spread over more shoulders, it makes the overall financial picture significantly more attractive.
Colapinto himself does not yet have a contract for 2027 but believes that the Gucci deal could still herald the next step for “Team Enstone” – a step he would very much like to be part of.
“At the moment, many good things are happening, new partnerships and a lot around us. The deal with Gucci is one of those things and an important milestone. So: yes, I think it shows that the direction we are now taking is the right one.”
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