27/06/2026 15:32 - Deportes
Franco Colapinto faced a complicated qualifying session at the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix, held at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. The Argentine driver for Alpine made a mistake during Q2 that left him with no chance to advance to the final session, finishing in 16th position.
For context for international readers: Franco Colapinto is a 23-year-old Argentine racing driver competing in Formula 1 with the Alpine team. He has become a fan favorite in Argentina and represents the country's return to Formula 1 racing.
The error occurred at Turn 1 of the circuit, where Colapinto went off track and had to abort his fast lap. "I made a mistake", the driver acknowledged after the qualifying session.
The day started with hope for the Argentine. In Q1, Colapinto advanced in 11th place with a time of 1m07.894s, showing competitive performance.
For those unfamiliar with F1 qualifying: Q1 is the first of three qualifying sessions where the five slowest drivers are eliminated. Q2 eliminates another five, and Q3 determines the top 10 grid positions.
However, in Q2 things got complicated. The Alpine driver lost control of the car at Turn 1, went off track, and had to abort the lap. Without a valid registered time in the second part of the session, he was relegated to 16th position.
His teammate, Pierre Gasly, had better luck and qualified 11th, demonstrating that the car had potential for better positions.
Colapinto's frustration has an important background: Alpine introduced five updates to the car for this Grand Prix, including a new front wing that, according to the Argentine driver, didn't work as expected.
Alpine is a French Formula 1 team based in Enstone, England. They have been working to improve their car's performance throughout the season.
On Friday, Colapinto had already expressed his dissatisfaction after finishing 8th in FP1 and 16th in FP2, noting that the changes made for the second session worsened the car's performance.
Conditions didn't help: 33°C ambient temperature and track surface reaching between 52°C and 55°C complicated tire management.
Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes driver, was fastest in both Friday practice sessions and also in Saturday's qualifying, confirming the German team's good form.
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) took provisional pole position, while Antonelli proved to be one of the fastest drivers of the weekend.
The Red Bull Ring is a motorsport circuit in Spielberg, Austria. It's known for its scenic Alpine backdrop and is owned by Red Bull, hence the name. The track is relatively short with only 10 turns, making it one of the fastest circuits on the F1 calendar.
| Qualifying Positions - Austrian GP | |
|---|---|
| Pierre Gasly (Alpine) | 11th place |
| Franco Colapinto (Alpine) | 16th place |
| Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) | Fastest time |
Sunday, June 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM Argentina time (14:00 UTC) at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.
Broadcast: Fox Sports and Disney+ Premium (for Argentine viewers). International viewers can check local F1 broadcasters.
Key Context: Colapinto continues gaining experience in the pinnacle of world motorsport. This Grand Prix represents another learning opportunity for the 23-year-old Argentine driver, who seeks to establish himself in Formula 1 with Alpine. Argentina hasn't had a Formula 1 driver for many years, making Colapinto's presence particularly significant for the country's motorsport fans.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
