Franco Colapinto faces mounting pressure at Alpine F1 as early performances fall short of high expectations set by Flavio Briatore.
Johnny Herbert has voiced his concern for Franco Colapinto, who replaced Jack Doohan at Alpine F1 after the latter contested six Grands Prix. According to the former driver, Flavio Briatore’s patience could be quickly tested, and the Australian might face the same fate as his predecessor.
“It’s always difficult. When you’re given an opportunity, you have to grab it and impress people,” Herbert said.
“Jack Doohan didn’t do that, and the expectations for Franco Colapinto have been very high.”
“Flavio Briatore put his trust in Colapinto and brought him into competition with Alpine. Given the level he reached last season, Colapinto was expected to perform better.”
In a team with stable driver management, a disappointing three-race debut wouldn’t necessarily be a risk, but at Alpine, Colapinto’s place may already be under threat.
“He’s shown he can be as fast, if not faster, than Pierre Gasly, but he hasn’t been consistent in his pace. We never saw Doohan manage to bounce back—Colapinto needs to bounce back quickly, or he’ll just become another name that was once highly regarded and nothing more.”
