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Alpine locks in unchanged driver line-up for 2027 F1 season
Franco Colapinto has signed a contract extension to remain at Alpine alongside Pierre Gasly for the 2027 Formula 1 campaign.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-08-28T12:00:43.000Z - 2 min read
Alpine has officially secured its driver roster for the 2027 Formula 1 season, confirming that Franco Colapinto will retain his race seat under a new agreement. The announcement ends any lingering speculation surrounding the team's garage and ensures the Enstone-based squad enters the upcoming regulation era with complete line-up stability.
Colapinto will continue alongside Pierre Gasly, who is locked into a long-term contract running through at least the end of the 2028 campaign. The decision means Alpine will field an unchanged driver pairing for a third consecutive year, preserving internal continuity as the factory targets further performance gains.
Reflecting on his extension, Colapinto expressed satisfaction with his development environment. He highlighted the tangible progress the team has demonstrated this year compared to previous struggles, pointing to a collective drive behind the scenes to extract more pace from the car.
The Argentine driver has enjoyed a much stronger campaign in 2026, accumulating 19 points so far and sitting 12th in the world championship standings. His season highlights include a standout sixth-place finish at the Canadian Grand Prix, building on solid performances earlier in the year.
Alpine executive director Flavio Briatore emphasised that consistency remains a vital pillar for the team's ongoing project. Briatore noted that while locking down the driver pairing solves an important piece of the puzzle, the primary institutional focus stays firmly fixed on engineering a faster race machine.
Briatore praised Colapinto's growth and maturity throughout the current season, specifically citing strong outings in Miami and Montreal as proof of his belonging on the grid. Team leadership expects both drivers to maintain their current trajectory as Alpine fights to close the gap to midfield rivals Racing Bulls in the constructors' championship.
Colapinto initially burst onto the F1 scene during a nine-race cameo with Williams in late 2024 before stepping into the Alpine seat midway through 2025. Although his early tenure with the French outfit proved difficult without points finishes, the team kept faith in his potential and has now been rewarded with consistent scoring form.