Flavio Briatore has made it clear that Alpine’s immediate priority is improving its Formula 1 car rather than making decisions about its driver lineup.
Speaking about the team’s current struggles, Briatore said Alpine’s performance deficit is so significant that even reigning world champion Max Verstappen would struggle to compensate for it.
According to Briatore, the team must first address weaknesses in the car and improve operational areas such as pit stops before focusing on driver-related questions.
Alpine Struggling Despite Fifth Place in Championship
Alpine currently sits fifth in the Constructors’ Championship with 35 points collected by Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.
However, Briatore suggested the standings do not fully reflect the team’s challenges.
The French outfit has yet to outperform McLaren in qualifying this season. Furthermore, in the most recent qualifying sessions in Miami and Canada, Alpine’s fastest driver was approximately seven-tenths of a second slower than the leading McLaren.
Performance Gap Remains a Major Concern
Briatore expressed frustration over the size of the gap to rival teams.
He noted that Alpine is currently six to seven-tenths of a second behind competitors using the same engine package, a difference he described as unacceptable.
While acknowledging that progress has been made, he admitted the improvements are not happening at the pace he expects.
According to Briatore, Alpine should be achieving stronger results with the resources currently available to the team.
Pierre Gasly’s Future Not in Question
Recent speculation has linked Alpine with possible driver changes, particularly regarding Pierre Gasly’s future.
However, Briatore dismissed concerns about Gasly’s position within the team.
Gasly signed a long-term contract extension last season that keeps him at Alpine through 2028. As a result, the French driver remains a key part of the team’s plans.
Colapinto Still Under Evaluation
The situation is different for Franco Colapinto.
The Argentine driver joined Alpine under an arrangement that allows the team flexibility regarding his future. Briatore confirmed that Colapinto’s performances are still being assessed.
Nevertheless, he emphasized that driver evaluations are not currently his main focus.
For now, Alpine’s leadership believes improving the car will have a much greater impact on results than changing drivers.
Car Development Remains Top Priority
Briatore repeatedly stressed that Alpine’s future success depends on closing the performance gap to leading teams.
He stated that discussions about who will partner Gasly next season can wait until the team delivers a more competitive package.
As things stand, Alpine’s biggest challenge is not selecting drivers but finding speed.
Until the team narrows the gap to front-runners like McLaren, Briatore believes any driver discussion will remain secondary to the larger issue of performance.