Colapinto salvages Alpine point at Spa as team admits car is ‘too slow’

Alpine hold midfield position at Spa

Franco Colapinto secured 10th place at Spa-Francorchamps to keep Alpine level with Racing Bulls in the fight to lead Formula 1’s midfield. The result was valuable, but it did little to disguise the team’s concerns about its current package.

Alpine and Racing Bulls are now tied on 61 points, after Colapinto finished ahead of Liam Lawson and ended Racing Bulls’ run of scoring with both cars. The Argentine made the difference with a strong start and a committed drive through the field, crossing the line just 0.9 seconds ahead of team-mate Pierre Gasly and 1.4 seconds clear of Lawson.

The result came after a difficult period for Alpine. The team began the season as the strongest midfield operation, with its early form culminating in Gasly’s podium at Monaco. Since then, however, rivals have introduced upgrades and Alpine’s pace has fallen away. The latest Belgian Grand Prix key moments provide the wider context for a race in which every midfield position carried importance.

Colapinto calls for major improvement

Colapinto was pleased to score, particularly after Alpine appeared to have limited performance relative to Audi and Racing Bulls.

“Happy with the point, of course it’s been very positive with us. We are struggling a little bit with the car, and to score a point in these conditions and be in front of an Audi and a [Racing Bulls car], it is more than what we [thought we] can do,” he said.

But his assessment of Alpine’s competitiveness was blunt. “We need to improve the car a lot, we are too slow at the moment,” Colapinto explained, adding that the team was losing substantial lap time in some corners compared with its midfield rivals.

He felt Alpine had maximised the weekend through a strong qualifying performance and race, but insisted the car itself needed to become faster.

Gasly left frustrated

Gasly’s weekend was considerably more difficult. He crashed on Friday, then struggled to get off the line for the Formation Lap and lost two positions before recovering ground. A poor pit stop set him back again, while a prolonged fight with Lawson further compromised his afternoon.

“Quite a frustrating race,” Gasly said. He ultimately finished outside the points and highlighted the gap to Audi, Gabriel Bortoleto and Arvid Lindblad as evidence that Alpine must improve. Asked what he could take from the weekend, his verdict was concise: “It is not good enough.”

Alpine has not confirmed when its next major upgrade will arrive. Gasly will not have long to wait for another test, with the Hungarian Grand Prix beginning on Friday. Colapinto believes the Hungaroring’s slower corners may suit the car better; the next race will show whether that optimism is justified.

Alpine hold midfield position at Spa