F1 news: Sergio Perez speaks on Franco Colapinto at FIFA Club World Cup game
While soaking up the electric atmosphere of the Club World Cup’s group stage across U.S. venues, seatless F1 veteran Sergio “Checo” Perez hasn’t forgotten the grid.
Perez was spotted at the Real Madrid vs Al-Hilal game, where he spoke on Alpine’s Franco Colapinto.
From Williams promise to Alpine opportunity
Franco Colapinto made a real impact in 2024 with Williams, scoring points and earning praise for racecraft in just five outings, highlighted by his performances in Azerbaijan and the US.
Without a 2025 seat, ahead of the 2025 Imola Grand Prix, Alpine called him up to replace struggling Jack Doohan.
However, Colapinto’s return to F1 has been underwhelming.
Debut weekend ended with a Q1 crash, a one-place grid drop, and a P16 finish was a painful reintroduction.
Monaco and Barcelona followed with P13 and P15, respectively - still no points, and still trailing teammate Gasly, who bagged P8 in Spain.
At the most recent round, the Canadian GP, the young Argentine crossed the finish line in P13.
Team boss Flavio Briatore is on alert: Colapinto is still under evaluation, and while he remains in place until Silverstone, the risk of another swap looms.
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Rookie overload: Unfair pressure on young talents
During Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw to Al-Hilal in their first group stage clash of the Club World Cup, Checo Perez spoke on Colapinto.
His answer was respectful and supportive:
“Franco is doing really well, he has a bright future, but like everything in Formula 1, you have to take it step by step.
“The road is long, and he’s surely making significant strides in his career.”
But Alpine’s actions tell a different story.
Expecting a 22-year-old rookie to adapt, learn, and deliver results in just five races is unrealistic.
Alpine dropped Colapinto into F1 mid-season, replacing Jack Doohan with little time to acclimatise.
The result? A rookie left scrambling to find rhythm and stability in a relentless environment.
But Alpine’s timeline remains unforgiving - mistakes are no longer learning moments, they're a liability.
And for a team that just rotated one rookie out, the willingness to swap again so quickly raises eyebrows.
Fans and insiders alike are questioning the logic. Are Alpine setting up these young drivers to succeed, or to fail?
Should Alpine choose patience and go the long road with Colapinto?
