Gasly explodes against Colapinto in Isola and Briatore brakes it dry!
Within the framework of the Emilia-Romaña Grand Prix in Icola, Formula 1 lived an episode loaded with tension between Alpine, Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly pilots, during free practices. The Argentine, in his debut as a starter with the French team, starred in an incident that unleashed the fury of his teammate, while Flavio Briatore, head of Alpine, intervened to calm the waters.
During the second training session (FP2), Colapinto, in an attempt to defend its position, used the DRS unexpectedly while the Max Verstappen tetracampeon tried to overcome it. This maneuver not only surprised the Dutch, who expressed his radio frustration with a “What is this boy doing?” The Frenchman, known for his experience and leadership in Alpine, would have questioned the aggressiveness of Colapinto on track, especially at a key moment for the team, which seeks to improve its position in the Construction Championship.
The incident occurred in a context where Alpine showed promising performance. Gasly ended third in the FP2 with a time of 1: 15,318, just 0.276 seconds of the leader, Oscar Pastri, while Colapinto ended in a solid 13th place, less than half a second of his partner. However, the Argentine maneuver generated internal criticism, since some considered that he prioritized his individual position on teamwork.
Flavio Briatore, who assumed a leading role after the departure of Oliver Oakes as team leader, soon intervened. The Italian, faithful to his direct style, would have rebuked Gasly, reminding him of the importance of cohesion in the team. According to reports, Briatore made it clear that he will not tolerate internal confrontations that harm Alpine’s goals, especially at a time where the team seeks to recover from an irregular start of the season, with only seven points in the championship. In addition, Briatore supported Colapinto, highlighting his speed and potential, and denied rumors on a limit of five races for the Argentine: “Franco will make the races he has to do. If he goes fast, he does not collide and adds points, he will pilot forever.”
This friction shows the challenges Alpine faces in the integration of a young pilot like Colapint, 21, along with a veteran like Gasly. Despite the incident, the Argentine showed a solid performance, improving his time of 1: 17,373 in the FP1 to 1: 16,044 in the FP2, which reflects its rapid adaptation to the A525 car.
The Imola Grand Prix, with the classification scheduled for Saturday and the race on Sunday, will be key to determining if Colapinto can consolidate in Alpine and if the relationship with Gasly manages to stabilize under the strict supervision of Briatore. For now, the French team maintains the hope of capitalizing its potential and leaving behind internal tensions.
