Alpine has announced that Franco Colapinto has joined as a reserve driver for the F1 2025 season, signing a multi-year deal with the Enstone-based squad.

While Colapinto was unable to find a seat on the grid for the F1 2025 championship, the Argentinean has been confirmed as a reserve driver with Alpine.

Franco Colapinto signs multi-year deal with Alpine

Argentine racing driver Franco Colapinto has been signed by Alpine, with the 21-year-old taking up a role as reserve driver for the Enstone-based squad.

The announcement of his arrival was made on the same day as Alpine announced it has also secured the services of Le Mans 24 Hours winner and WEC Champion Ryo Hirakawa in a test and simulator driver role. Alongside Paul Aron, Alpine now has three drivers lined up in the background behind race drivers Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan.

Colapinto has been closely linked with Alpine for several months, with executive advisor Flavio Briatore – as part of the triumvirate of the Alpine F1 team’s management – expressing interest in signing the Argentinean as a bidding war for his services emerged between Alpine and Red Bull.

However, Colapinto’s tougher run of form in late 2024 cooled interest, meaning he ended the season facing an uncertain future, despite having impressed the F1 community due to his immense speed being immediately apparent.

Speculation regarding his future continued over the winter shutdown, with that speculation focusing on Colapinto potentially joining Alpine as rumours about the future of Jack Doohan emerged.

Colapinto, together with his manager Maria Catarineu of Bullet Sports Management, was spotted by PlanetF1.com in a jovial conversation with Briatore before the trio quickly went their separate ways.

Franco Colapinto speaking with Alpine’s Flavio Briatore at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. Copyright: PlanetF1.

Doohan, a product of the Alpine Academy and managed by Briatore, is confirmed for F1 2025, having been signed ahead of last season’s Dutch Grand Prix – shortly after the arrival of Briatore and team boss Oli Oakes at the helm.

While the Australian will start the season with Alpine, he faces immediate pressure to perform – like with many F1 deals, Doohan’s future is understood to be contingent on performance and impressing a management team who had only just taken charge when he was signed.

Some speculation suggests Doohan’s contract only covers the first quarter of the season, with a possible opening for Colapinto to slot in after this should Doohan fail to hit the ground running.

Doohan got his chance to make his F1 debut in the F1 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi as Alpine swapped out Esteban Ocon for their 2025 race driver.

Starting from 20th, Doohan raced to 15th place, while teammate Pierre Gasly finished seventh to secure sixth place for Alpine in the Constructors’ Championship.

Alpine has confirmed Colapinto has been signed following an agreement being reached with Williams, with the Argentinean set to attend several races throughout the year as well as engaging in a TPC programme alongside Hirakawa and Aron.

“I am super excited to have the opportunity to join BWT Alpine Formula 1 Team,” Colapinto said.

“First of all, I want to say thank you to Williams for all their support from the moment I joined the Academy until the last race in Abu Dhabi.

“They turned my dream of racing in Formula 1 into reality, and I will always be grateful for that. Now, it is time for a new chapter, and to take on this challenge with BWT Alpine Formula One Team is truly an honour.

“A huge thank you to Luca [de Meo], Flavio [Briatore] and Oliver [Oakes] for believing in me and welcoming me into the team with open arms.

“I cannot wait to get started and see where this journey takes us. Also, a massive thank you to all my sponsors and partners who stood by me through the challenges of the 2024 season. Your support made it all possible, and to my incredible fans in Argentina: ‘Muchas gracias!’ Your passion and encouragement mean the world to me. Let’s aim for even greater things in 2025 and beyond.”

With Colapinto’s services secured, Briatore said, “We are very pleased to come to an agreement with Williams Racing to sign Franco Colapinto.

“Clearly, Franco is among the best young talents in motorsport right now. It is fair to say his appearance on the Formula One grid last year caught many, me included, by surprise and his performances have been very impressive for a rookie driver.

“We have an eye on our future and his signing means we have a great pool of young drivers to call upon and work with in developing the team for future success.”