Here’s Friday’s F1 news round-up, with the main topic being Franco Colapinto’s future, as reports suggest another team has shown interest in signing him.
Alpine reportedly interested in Franco Colapinto for 2025
In a surprising turn of events, Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore is said by the Italian newspaper *La Gazzetta dello Sport* to be interested in bringing Franco Colapinto to the team for the 2025 season, even though Alpine already has Pierre Gasly and rookie Jack Doohan under contract for that year.
Williams team principal James Vowles confirmed in Brazil that “multiple teams” have shown interest in Colapinto, who has impressed since stepping in for Logan Sargeant earlier this season.
Chandhok says it’s ‘too soon’ for Colapinto to join Red Bull
Colapinto’s name has also been linked to a possible move to Red Bull for next season, especially after team principal Christian Horner was seen leaving the Williams motorhome at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
However, former F1 driver Karun Chandhok believes it might be too early for Colapinto to join Red Bull, especially if he were to be paired alongside Max Verstappen. Chandhok feels that such a move could be damaging to the young driver’s career, given that he has only raced in a few F1 events so far.
On the Sky F1 podcast, Chandhok said, “He’s clearly very quick, clearly very talented. I think it’s too early. I think if they were talking about putting him in an RB, I think that’ll be a good, sensible choice and a career progression for him. I think if they put him in a Red Bull alongside Max, it could destroy him. I think it’d be too soon.”
F1 calendar update expected soon
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali confirmed that there will be news “very, very soon” about the possibility of rotating some European races in future seasons. With demand for Grand Prix events growing, the F1 calendar is becoming oversubscribed, and rotation could be a way to limit the number of races each year while still keeping countries represented.
Domenicali explained, “It is true that we have a large demand of new possible venues that want to come in and our choice will always be balanced between the right economical benefits that we can have as a system, and also to leverage in the growth on the market that we can see potential that will be beneficial for us to grow even further our business.”
Fernando Alonso’s small role in Gabriel Bortoleto’s Sauber move
Mattia Binotto has revealed that Fernando Alonso had little influence in his decision to sign Gabriel Bortoleto for next season. Bortoleto, who is part of Alonso’s A14 Management agency, will be racing against his manager on the grid next year. Binotto said that while he has known Alonso for a long time, the decision to sign Bortoleto was based on the Brazilian’s talent, not any advice from Alonso.
Binotto said, “I know very well Fernando from past experience. We met in the paddock but he never influenced. He never tried really to come to me with a convincing argument because I think what convinced me was Gabriel, nothing else. So no with Fernando. Yes, I had one chat, but really, very, very little.”
Christian Horner sets target for Sergio Perez
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has set a target for Sergio Perez to perform well in the final three races of the season. Perez’s form has dropped since a strong start to 2024, and despite having a new contract, he has struggled to match Max Verstappen’s performance.
Horner told *talkSPORT*, “He’s not happy with how the season has gone for him, as you would expect. So, he’s big enough and old enough and wise enough to recognise that. But our focus is very much still on the Constructors’ Championship as well and we need Sergio to be up there scoring in these last couple of races, or last three races, if we are to have any chance of challenging either Ferrari or McLaren.”
