Alpine moves closer to decision on Gasly's teammate in '26

Paul Aron, Jack Doohan, and Franco Colapinto are the candidates to get a spot next to Gasly. The latter has the best cards in hand, as there has been an upward trend visible in his recent performances of the Argentina.

"I think it’s difficult for any of the new drivers coming in", says Steve Nielsen, Managing Director of Alpine. "We’ve seen ebb and flow in lots of them that have come from F2—five came from F2 last year, which is good.

"Franco had a difficult start. I think we have seen him improve and become calm. He has beaten Pierre [in qualification] in the last two or three races. So he is equivalent to him, which is good. We don't know where the upward trend will end – or if it continues. We hope so", says Nielsen.

A decision about Colapinto for next season has not yet been made at Alpine. "But we’re a few races away from that yet," said the Managing Director. 

GPblog understands that the decision is likely to be made in November, before the last Grand Prix of the season.

Meanwhile, the candidates for that one seat are undoubtedly keeping their options open. Jack Doohan's father, for example, was spotted in Singapore with the team boss of Haas F1, Ayao Komatsu. Perhaps they are considering a reserve role at Haas for the Australian.

Regardless, Doohan will not make a decision about his future until Alpine has made a decision.

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