Argentinian young talent Franco Colapinto has been announced as Alpine’s test and reserve driver for the 2025 season. Colapinto, who made a rapid entrance into the F1 scene for Williams, managed to attract attention despite a series of crashes.

Colapinto joined Williams last season after they suspended Logan Sargeant and made an impressive start by scoring points in Azerbaijan and the US. His performances have attracted the attention of sponsors in Latin America, particularly Argentina, and made him a great hero for his country.

However, due to Williams’ limited resources, Colapinto lost out on a potential seat at the Racing Bulls after crashes in Brazil and Las Vegas. Despite this, Alpine continued their interest in the Argentine driver and in a surprise move signed Colapinto.

Alpine will field Pierre Gasly and rookie Jack Doohan this season, but Doohan will be under pressure from Colapinto as the young driver looks to make the move to the main squad with her strong performances.

Colapinto’s First Statements

Colapinto said that joining Alpine was a great opportunity for him, adding:

“I am super excited to have the opportunity to join BWT Alpine Formula One Team. First of all, I want to say thank you to Williams for all their support from the moment I joined the Academy until the last race in Abu Dhabi. They turned my dream of racing in Formula One into reality, and I will always be grateful for that. Now, it is time for a new chapter, and to take on this challenge with BWT Alpine Formula One Team is truly an honour.

Emphasizing that a new era has begun, Colapinto stated that it was a great honor to work with Alpine:

A huge thank you to Luca [de Meo], Flavio [Briatore] and Oliver [Oakes] for believing in me and welcoming me into the team with open arms. I cannot wait to get started and see where this journey takes us. Also, a massive thank you to all my sponsors and partners who stood by me through the challenges of the 2024 season.

“Your support made it all possible, and to my incredible fans in Argentina: ‘Muchas gracias!’

“Your passion and encouragement mean the world to me. Let’s aim for even greater things in 2025 and beyond.”