Briatore reveals the two drivers who are in contention for Alpine’s second seat in 2026

Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore has given the clearest indication yet that either Franco Colapinto or Paul Aron will take the second seat at the team in 2026.

With Pierre Gasly having confirmed his future at the Enstone-based outfit until 2028 ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, attention has turned towards who will partner the Frenchman next season.

Colapinto has endured a difficult time with Alpine since being brought in after six races to replace Jack Doohan, the Argentinian failing to score any points during his tenure so far and achieving a best result of 11th.

Aron, meanwhile, would enter F1 as a rookie having only conducted three Free Practice 1 outings this season – two with Kick Sauber and one with Alpine in his role as reserve driver. Prior to that, the Estonian finished third overall in his first full-season of F2.

“It’s between Franco and Paul,” Briatore told The Race ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “Paul is a very nice guy, a very quick driver as well. And I need to understand what is the best for the team, you know?”

“I mean, I don’t have any interest with anybody,” added the Italian, when asked if personal management ties would influence his decision.

“Before the people were driving me mad [by complaining] because I was managing 50% of the drivers [on the grid]. Now, I don’t manage anybody.

“I don’t care. I don’t have any interest. My only interest is to try to take in the team the best driver available and do the best job with us. It is as simple as that. I need another one or two races to see, but honestly today I don’t know [which one].”

Through his tenure as Team Principal at Benetton and then Renault in the 1990s and 2000s, Briatore made a name for himself by spotting future superstars, including World Champions Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, but admits such talent has not caught his eye elsewhere.

“I don’t see any other possibility,” he said. “We see other ones, but we don’t feel it [anything special] – because the good guys go ‘boom’.

“I remember when Schumi was in Group C [sportscars] with Sauber, he won every race…

“GP2 was the same. [Lewis] Hamilton was bam, bam, bam, bam. Fernando was driving Formula 3000 or whatever and he was winning every race.

“I remember testing Fernando. I put Fernando in Minardi and Giancarlo [Minardi, team founder] called me and said: ‘I have never seen stuff like that’.”