Overview
- Colapinto ignored a late instruction to hold position at the United States GP, passed Pierre Gasly for 17th, and Gasly later finished 19th behind Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto.
- Alpine managing director Steve Nielsen publicly criticised the breach and said the matter would be reviewed internally, and the team later deleted a critical social-media post about the incident.
- Ahead of Mexico City, Colapinto said team instructions must always be followed, a shift from his initial defense that he had superior pace and was protecting against Bortoleto.
- Alpine confirmed reserve Paul Aron will drive Gasly’s car in Friday practice in Mexico City under rookie-session rules, an outing widely viewed as an audition.
- Flavio Briatore has framed Alpine’s 2026 decision as a choice between Colapinto and Aron, with the team enduring a poor 2025 and Colapinto still without a point after 19 races.