“Everyone was happy except him” – Franco Colapinto shares telling Flavio Briatore anecdote

After an extremely difficult 2025 season, Alpine is once again fighting for the ‘best of the rest’ title this year – in other words, to lead Formula 1’s midfield behind the four top teams. But the Enstone-based team’s ambitions go further than that, and that is certainly true of Flavio Briatore, the flamboyant executive advisor effectively running the outfit.

As is well known, the now 76-year-old Italian can be ruthless in both his decision-making and communication, something Franco Colapinto has experienced first-hand on several occasions. Nevertheless, the Argentine believes that Briatore’s approach is necessary if the team is ultimately to close the gap to the front.

“I believe in his process,” said the 23-year-old. “You have to understand him. But I think to succeed in F1 and to achieve the goal that every midfield team has – to catch Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren – you need someone like Flavio.”

According to Colapinto, the most telling example came after the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. Alpine scored a double points finish at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which would normally be considered a success given the gap to the four top teams. Briatore, however, saw things differently.

“We finished P6 and P8 in Canada, those were amazing points for the team, but after the race Flavio was not happy at all and kept pushing the team. He was almost the most unhappy person within the whole team,” Colapinto told Motorsport.com.

“That was because of how far off Ferrari we were compared to Miami. He wanted to understand why that was. Everyone was really happy with the points, but he was like, no no, I want more. I don’t like where we are and Racing Bulls is too close to us as well. They are closer than they were in Miami, so why is that happening? I want answers and I want to improve more.”

Colapinto describes Briatore as a “competitive animal”, whose only goal is to bring Team Enstone back to the top

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Briatore’s leadership style can come across as harsh, but according to Colapinto, that is what is needed in F1 to reach the top – particularly for a team trying to make up ground, such as Alpine.

“To put that pressure on the team, even when things go right, it’s his way of leading the team. And in my personal view, it’s a way of succeeding in F1 and catching the top teams,” he said.

“Flavio is a competitive animal. He only came back to Formula 1 to win and I really appreciate that because I’m the same.”

It means Alpine’s progress this year is still not enough to create a sense of satisfaction within the team. Yes, after the torrid 2025 season, the first half of this year has undoubtedly represented a step forward, but it is still not where the bar has been set.

“I’m very proud of the steps we made, but we are all very competitive and we are not happy just being at the front of the midfield. It’s true that the steps have been massive this year, but we’re always aiming for more,” Colapinto said.

Alpine has been overtaken by Racing Bulls in the last weekends before the summer break, both in terms of pure pace and in the standings

Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images

Could the Gucci deal help Alpine take the next step?

That applies not only on the sporting front, but on the commercial side as well. Gucci will come on board as the team’s title sponsor next season, and according to Colapinto, Briatore’s influence can be seen in that development too.

The 23-year-old views the Gucci announcement in two ways. First, he sees it as confirmation that Alpine is on an upward trajectory again after 2025.

A prestigious brand like Gucci would not want to associate itself with a team running hopelessly at the back, meaning Colapinto sees the deal as a vote of confidence – at the very least, there is belief in the project’s potential.

Secondly, Colapinto believes the partnership will help Alpine turn its ambitions of taking the next step into reality. The deal gives the team greater financial flexibility, which is also important in relation to parent company Renault.

After all, if the heaviest financial burdens can be spread across more shoulders, it makes the overall financial picture considerably more attractive.

Colapinto himself does not yet have a contract for 2027, but he believes the Gucci deal could nevertheless usher in the next step for ‘Team Enstone’ – a step he would very much like to be part of.

“Many good things are happening at the moment,” he said, “new partnerships and a lot of things around us. The deal with Gucci is one of those things and an important one. So yes, I think it shows that the direction we are taking now is the correct one.”

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– The Motorsport.com Team