Franco Colapinto salvages point as Pierre Gasly blasts Alpine’s 2026 package

Franco Colapinto scores Alpine’s first point of 2026 in Belgium

Franco Colapinto took 10th place at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix on 29 June, securing Alpine’s first championship point of the season. The result came after a late-race scrap with Williams’ Logan Sargeant that left both cars with scraped floors. Yet Alpine’s lead driver Pierre Gasly still called the car’s performance package “not good enough,” warning the team risks falling further behind rivals unless upgrades arrive soon.

What happened in Belgium?

Colapinto lined up 14th on the grid in Spa-Francorchamps, climbing to ninth by lap 12 as early retirements thinned the field. A late safety car bunched the pack, and Alpine gambled on fresh mediums for Colapinto while most pitted for hards. The undercut worked: he inherited 10th when Sargeant’s car ground to a halt on the final lap. The Argentine finished 0.6s clear of the Williams, marking his first points since joining Alpine in 2025.

Gasly, who finished 12th, told reporters the point was “a drop in the ocean.” He added the car lacks the straight-line speed to fight McLaren or Ferrari, and the upgrades promised for Hungary won’t arrive in time. “We’re not where we need to be,” Gasly said. “If we don’t fix this, we’ll keep scraping for scraps.”

Why it matters for Franco Colapinto

The result is a morale boost for Colapinto, 22, after three scoreless races to start 2026. His teammate Gasly has already out-qualified him in every qualifying session this year, yet Colapinto’s racecraft under pressure-especially in chaotic conditions-kept him in the fight. Alpine’s sporting director, Mia Sharpe, called the Belgian weekend “a step forward,” though she admitted the car’s race pace remains “inconsistent.”

Colapinto’s point haul also lifts Alpine to 14th in the constructors’ standings, one spot above Williams. The gap to McLaren, however, is 98 points. “We’re fighting for scraps,” Sharpe said. “But scraps still count.”

What comes next for Alpine and Colapinto?

Alpine’s next upgrade package is scheduled for the Hungarian Grand Prix on 20 July. Gasly insists the changes must deliver “a real jump,” or Alpine risks losing ground in the midfield battle. Colapinto, meanwhile, faces a crucial stretch: the next six races include street circuits in Monaco and Singapore, where Alpine’s straight-line deficits are most exposed.

Team insiders say Colapinto’s seat is safe for 2027, but the pressure is on to close the gap to Gasly. The Belgian result buys time, yet the clock is ticking. As Gasly put it: “We need more than just a point to survive.”