Alpine have officially announced that Argentine racer Franco Colapinto will remain with the team for the 2027 Formula 1 season. The decision ends months of speculation about whether the 23‑year‑old, who was originally called up mid‑year in 2025 to replace Jack Doohan after just six rounds, would earn a full‑time seat for a second season. By confirming Colapinto’s place alongside long‑term teammate Pierre Gasly, Alpine have now laid out their complete driver roster for 2027.
Flavio Briatore, Alpine’s executive director, expressed his satisfaction with the lineup: "We are very happy to confirm our driver line‑up for 2027 with Franco staying as a race driver alongside Pierre. For me, having consistency is very important.
We are now settled from a driver point of view and I have said many times that, while this is an important piece of the puzzle, the most significant we have to get right is designing and building a fast race car which absolutely remains our No 1 priority." Briatore went on to praise Colapinto’s development over the past year, highlighting his performances in Miami and Montreal as proof that the Argentine talent belongs in Formula 1 and, specifically, at Alpine. "I expect both Franco and Pierre to continue doing a fantastic job on track and for the entire team to push relentlessly until we are fighting, and winning, at the front end of this sport," he added. Colapinto’s 2026 season has already shown marked improvement. Although he did not score any points in the 18 races he contested for Alpine in 2025, the faster 2026 chassis has enabled him to secure six top‑ten finishes in the first twelve rounds of the current campaign.
His standout results came in May, when he finished seventh at the Miami Grand Prix and then improved to sixth at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. Those back‑to‑back performances were specifically cited by Briatore as evidence of his growing maturity and pace.
Speaking after the announcement, Colapinto said he was delighted to continue with Alpine: "I am very pleased to remain with this team in 2027. I feel very happy and very settled here and it's been even better that we have made significant progress this year compared to last. We have a lot more milestones to reach and I know the team is working so hard in finding performance and making the car better and better.
Our long‑term goals are obvious – to compete and win – and I am grateful to the team, Flavio and (managing director) Steve (Nielsen), for the trust placed in me to be one of its drivers going into the future. I'm looking forward to seeing how everything plays out and focusing on my job on‑track first and foremost." His comments underline a clear commitment to the team’s development programme and a desire to contribute to Alpine’s push for podiums and, eventually, victories. Colapinto’s path to Alpine was unconventional.
He made his Formula 1 debut in 2024 with Williams, stepping in as a surprise replacement for Logan Sargeant for the final nine rounds of that season. Although he was initially left without a drive for 2025 because Williams had already locked in its driver pair, his impressive showings and the commercial appeal he brought from his Argentine fan base caught the attention of Alpine’s management. The French outfit negotiated what was described at the time as a "loan" arrangement from Williams, bringing him into the team as a reserve driver. Early in the 2025 season, when Jack Doohan’s future became uncertain, Alpine promoted Colapinto to the race seat, giving him the opportunity to prove himself at the highest level.
The decision to keep him for 2027 reflects Alpine’s belief that continuity will aid the team’s overall progress. In a sport where driver changes are frequent, retaining both Gasly and Colapinto provides a stable foundation for the engineering and aerodynamics departments to focus on car development without the disruption of adapting to new driving styles each year. Briatore emphasized that while driver consistency is valuable, the ultimate priority remains the creation of a faster, more reliable race car – a challenge that Alpine has been tackling aggressively through upgrades to its 2026 platform and a renewed emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency.
Looking ahead, the 2027 season promises to be a pivotal one for Alpine. The team aims to translate the incremental gains made in 2026 into regular point‑scoring finishes, podiums, and ultimately race wins. With Colapinto’s growing confidence, Gasly’s experience, and a clear technical direction, Alpine hopes to close the gap to the sport’s front‑running outfits. Fans can anticipate a season where the French squad fights more consistently at the front, leveraging the synergy between its drivers and the engineering crew.
In summary, Alpine’s confirmation of Franco Colapinto for 2027 not only settles the driver market for the team but also signals a strategic commitment to stability and long‑term growth. The Argentine’s upward trajectory, combined with Pierre Gasly’s established presence, gives Alpine a balanced driver line‑up poised to challenge for higher positions on the grid. As the 2027 calendar unfolds, all eyes will be on how the team translates its technical ambitions into on‑track results, with Colapinto eager to build on his recent top‑ten finishes and prove that he truly belongs among Formula 1’s elite.