Source:REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
[Saba Sports News] Recently, Team Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore revealed in an interview with The Race that he already has a clear idea of how to fill the second seat at Alpine for the 2026 season. While there had been external rumors that Briatore might consider talent from F2 or even bring in Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda if Red Bull released them, he clearly stated that the final decision would only come from within Alpine’s pool of drivers. Briatore explained that he doesn’t see any suitable candidates currently available among active F1 drivers, and likewise, no one in F2 has performed exceptionally enough. Therefore, with Franco Colapinto showing signs of progress and reserve driver Paul Aron performing well in recent FP1 sessions, Briatore sees the seat as a direct contest between the two. Briatore said in the exclusive interview: “It’s between Franco and Paul. Paul is a great guy and a very fast driver. And I need to understand who is the best for the team, you know?”