Franco Colapinto has explained how one crucial difference compared to previous seasons has “really helped” him ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 campaign.
The Argentinian was given the vote of confidence from Alpine late last year to partner Pierre Gasly for this season, after completing 18 Grands Prix in 2025.
Despite scoring no points after replacing Jack Doohan at the Enstone-based squad, Colapinto was able to get closer to Gasly in the latter part of the season.
Rumours circulated about the 22-year-old’s future for some time, before Alpine confirmed his continuation with the team in early November.
Just days before he was announced as Gasly’s team-mate for this year, Colapinto pointed out that, despite two stints in F1 across that year and the last – with Williams – he had never completed a pre-season testing programme before, and being afforded the chance to partake in one would enable him to be better prepared if given the full season.
Speaking to media at the Bahrain International Circuit on Friday, Colapinto was asked by Motorsport Week if he felt that he was already feeling the benefit of his first pre-season.
“Yeah, it really helped, I think, to arrive to Race 1 with all this mileage, it is very helpful, at least,” he replied, adding that he has already logged enough miles which are the equivalent to nearly half of the races he covered last year.
“I’m much closer to what the other guys have been learning, and, of course, running,” he continued. “I think [it] is already like eight races in terms of mileage. So it does help a lot.
“And that’s something I’ve been missing last year and the year before. So it’s a big step. And, of course, it always helps.”
Colapinto’s fastest time of the week was a 1m33.818s, around four tenths short of Gasly’s fastest, and logged six kilometres more than Gasly, with 968 laps in total, placing him 11th overall in terms of distance covered.
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