Franco Colapinto on disobeying Alpine team order: “Instructions must be followed no matter what”

Alpine Formula 1 driver Franco Colapinto has said “instructions by the team must always be followed no matter what” after disobeying a team order in the United States Grand Prix.

Despite pitting earlier than nearly anyone in the Austin race on lap 13, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto put pressure on Colapinto during the last 10 laps as the Brazilian attempted to finish higher than last.

Colapinto however found himself stuck behind team-mate Pierre Gasly, whom he’d been catching by 0.7s a lap, when Alpine instructing him to hold positions on lap 54. The Argentine replied: “Wait, what? Hold positions? But he’s slow!”

Colapinto did overtake Gasly in spite of the team order and finished 17th ahead of Bortoleto, with the Frenchman ending up last.

Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Alpine has now seemingly reprimanded its driver for his on-track behaviour.

“The team situation on Sunday has been discussed internally and it is clear that instructions by the team must always be followed no matter what,” Colapinto is quoted as saying in Alpine’s Mexico City Grand Prix preview. “We are all together, and we are all working towards the same goal to keep getting better with each session and each race weekend.”

This contrasts starkly with the rookie’s post-race comments at the Circuit of the Americas.

“I just had quite a bit more pace than Pierre in the last stint and had Bortoleto really close behind, attacking very hard, and he was much quicker than us,” Colapinto had pointed out. “I just couldn't really help with how slow Pierre was going, so I think it was the best for the situation to have me in front and try not to get both cars behind.

“They let us race in other tracks; I think here for the situation I was in – I was attacked very heavily by Bortoleto – it was probably the best to have me in front, otherwise we were going to get both overtaken. We just need come with all the data and analyse every moment of the race.”

Asked whether he was surprised to get a team order for 17th position, Colapinto had diplomatically replied: “I don't know – I think the team, we are trying really hard to be strong for next year and we are just analysing every situation and trying to get better at those. It's these moments that are so very important in a weekend, and even though it's not for points we are trying to make the best call possible every time.”

Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Regardless of this drama, Alpine’s roughest patch in history continues as the team has finished the last four grands prix with both its cars outside the top 15 positions.

“It was a challenging weekend in Austin where I struggled a lot with the car,” Colapinto stated in the latest press release. “Having just one practice session, the tricky conditions and not being able to find the right balance all played into a tough weekend on my side.

“We need to understand more closely why we struggled so much with the car and work to fix this going forward, even if we know we're in for a difficult end to the year with the package we have.”

Additional reporting by Ronald Vording