Franco Colapinto shrugs off heated Flavio Briatore exchange: "There is normally a reason for it"

Franco Colapinto played down a tense "Drive to Survive" moment with Flavio Briatore, insisting the Alpine boss has been helpful

Alpine Formula 1 driver Franco Colapinto has addressed the heated conversation shown between him and Flavio Briatore during the latest season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive.

After replacing Australian rookie Jack Doohan midway through the 2025 season, the pressure was on Colapinto to perform alongside his experienced team-mate Pierre Gasly.

The second episode of the eighth season of Drive to Survive focuses on Alpine’s second-driver struggles and includes an uncomfortable conversation between Briatore, Colapinto and Gasly.

"I’m going to sum up the situation. We need to understand that we haven’t been that great until now. Let’s say that, between the two of you, Pierre has been better. Now we have to get some points," Briatore said.

Colapinto responded, "We can try something on my car," before Briatore cut him off. "I don’t give a s***, OK? I decide what I’m doing. I decide,” the Alpine chief said. "You are the problem, you have to understand. You have to improve your performance. That’s essential."

Colapinto addressed the moment ahead of the 2026 season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

“I haven't watched it, to be honest. I don't really consume that too much,” he told the media. “Especially when you drive and you're in the paddock, you live and know everything that happens. It's a great show, and it brought a lot of fans to the sport, and for that, we are all very grateful with that extra amount of people that kind of became fans after watching the series.”

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Photo by: Kym Illman / Getty Images

Asked to clarify the moment shown in the Netflix docuseries, the Argentine added: “Flav has been, with me, very helpful in every way, and he gave me a great opportunity, and I try to maximise it. I don't even know when it was filmed, but probably he was right at the time, you know? When he shouts at me, there is normally a reason for it.

“He's been a great leader, he's a great businessman, he's very successful in every business he's been at, and he manages to get the people to perform. Sometimes in a different way to how others do, but it's all great learning.

“And also an understanding of how you deal with different situations. It's very hard for people to understand the amount of pressure also everyone is under in a race week, in a racing team. Not only the drivers are under that amount of pressure, and it's part of the sport, I guess.”