Flavio Briatore confirms Colapinto’s seat depends on results, downplays financial motives, and addresses Oakes’ unexpected resignation at Alpine.
Briatore provided details about the decision to replace Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto, and about the Argentinian’s contract.
After contradicting Alpine F1’s press release, the man now acting as team principal told F1 TV that nothing is set in stone and that it is the Argentinian driver’s performance that will determine everything.
“No, Franco is in the car. The team decides whether it’s for each race or for the whole season. The internal process should not have been revealed. We will see the performance. Right now, we need two cars in the points,” said Briatore, who assured that no financial element played a role in the decision.
“Performance. Only performance. We need two cars together because the competition is very tight with every team. We need two cars consistently. Let’s see how it goes. Again, I am sorry for Jack, who did everything he could to become a Formula 1 driver.”
The Italian also expressed regret at seeing Oliver Oakes resign from his position as Alpine director, but confirmed that it was a decision based on personal reasons:
“I am sorry about what happened with him. We know that it has nothing to do with the team. It is a personal decision, his resignation as team principal.”
“I wish him a fantastic career and hope he clarifies what happened. But Ollie resigned and we accept his resignation because he had personal issues to deal with and believes it’s better to do so not as team principal but as Oliver Oakes.”
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