** Scandal in Icola! Franco Colapinto denunciate performance differences in Alpine **
Emilia-Romaña 2025’s Grand Prix in Icola not only marked Franco Colapinto to Formula 1 as a titular pilot of Alpine, but also unleashed a controversy after his statements about the differences in performance between the cars of the French team. The 21 -year -old Argentine, starred in headlines after a weekend full of emotions, accidents and revelations at the Enzo E Dino Ferrari Autodrome.
Colapinto, who replaced Jack Doohan in Alpine, showed promising performance during free practices. In the FP1, he finished 17 ° with a time of 1: 17,373, and in the FP2, he climbed to the 13th place, approaching his partner Pierre Gasly, who surprised with a third place in the second session. However, the classification was a hard blow: an accident in the Q1, in the Tamburello curve, left its A525 damaged and relegated it to the 16th exit position after a sanction for exceeding the speed limits in boxes. “I am sad because we had a potential to fight for Q3,” the Argentine lamented after the clash. [] (Https://www.pagina12.com.ar/826350-franco-colapinto-en-la-Formula-1-en-imola-la-clasification-M)
In the race, Colapinto ended 16, fulfilling the objective of completing the Grand Prix without more incidents, but his subsequent comments lit the controversy. The pilot said that the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) affected its strategy and expressed its frustration due to the differences of performance between its car and that of Gasly. “It is a complicated car to handle, different from the Williams to which he was accustomed,” he said, suggesting that his partner’s A525 had a competitive advantage. These statements have raised suspicions about possible technical inequalities within the team, a sensitive issue in F1.
The Imola circuit, known for its technical demand with fast straight and curves such as Minerali acque, tested all pilots. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) took the victory, followed by the McLaren of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, in a career where the stop strategy and tire management were key. For their part, Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Carlos Sainz (Williams) had an outstanding classification, finishing 5th and 6th, but failed to score in the race.
The next challenge of Colapint will be the Mónaco GP, a circuit where Alpine’s less powerful engine may not be so decisive. With only five races to demonstrate his worth, the Argentine is under pressure to adapt to the A525 and leave his brand. Can you overcome technical differences and shine in the Principality? The F1 does not respond, and the history of Collapint in Icola is only the beginning of a new chapter.
