28/06/2026 21:40 - Deportes
Franco Colapinto, the 23-year-old Argentine driver from Pilar (Buenos Aires province), couldn't hide his frustration after the Austrian Formula 1 Grand Prix. A power failure moments after the lights went out defined his entire race at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. He finished in 15th place, far from the points and two positions behind his teammate Pierre Gasly.
"When I started, I lost power and they started passing me. The car recovered a bit, then I came out of turn 1 and it happened again. I had nothing and everyone started passing me. I was 22nd," Colapinto explained about the incident that shaped his race.
The Argentine driver admitted that the issues weren't exclusive to the race. Alpine struggled with engine and electrical problems since free practice sessions.
"It was a difficult weekend with the engine and electrical side, which cost us more than other weekends. The start is usually our strength, we always start well, but today I reacted well, had two or three good meters, and then the car just stopped," he analyzed.
After the initial problem, things didn't improve. Colapinto described a challenging car, especially due to the lack of rear axle grip.
"It was a very bad day, no rhythm at all, very slow, sliding a lot. The rear tires couldn't handle it, the grip I had in the back was terrible," stated the driver from Pilar.
Steve Nielsen, the team director, took responsibility in post-race statements: "The honest assessment is that we lacked the pace to really compete this weekend. We must ensure this is just a bump and not a trend, and we need to understand why and fix it quickly."
The British engineer noted that both drivers had slow starts due to lack of power, something that had been a strong point for the team during the season. "Starts have been one of our strengths this year. We're not happy with the result, but we know these things fluctuate throughout the year," he added.
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 2nd | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 3rd | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 13th | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 15th | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
Colapinto arrived in Austria with four points finishes in seven races, highlighted by a sixth place in Miami and seventh in Canada. However, in Barcelona, the car's performance limitations resurfaced.
In the current championship, Alpine sits fifth with 57 points, though Racing Bulls is closing in with 41 points, creating concern within the French team.
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone circuit will take place next weekend – the home race for Alpine's Enstone factory. "We hope to recover and show performances more like what we saw at the start of the season," Nielsen concluded. It will be a Sprint weekend, with less time for adjustments.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
