Formula One F1 - Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Baku City Circuit, Baku, Azerbaijan - September 20, 2025 Alpine executive adviser and de facto team principal Flavio Briatore ahead of practice REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
BAKU (Reuters) -Pierre Gasly's teammate at Alpine next season will be either Argentine incumbent Franco Colapinto or Estonia's Paul Aron, according to the Renault-owned Formula One team's boss Flavio Briatore.
Colapinto replaced Australian rookie Jack Doohan after the first six races of 2025 but has yet to score a point in his nine starts to date with Alpine.
Experienced race-winner Gasly has a deal with Alpine until 2028.
"It's between Franco and Paul," Briatore told in an interview at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. "Paul is a very nice guy, a very quick driver as well. And I need to understand what is the best for the team, you know?"
Aron, 21, took part in free practice with Alpine at this month's Italian Grand Prix and is also an official reserve driver.
Colapinto, 22, made his F1 debut with Williams last season and scored five points.
Briatore, appointed last year as executive adviser to now-departed Renault Chief Executive Luca de Meo, said he had no managerial involvement with either driver and the decision would be on performance and potential.
"My only interest is to try to take in the team the best driver available and do the best job with us. It is as simple as that," he said.
"I need another one or two races to see, but honestly today I don't know."
Alpine are last in the 10-team constructors' standings and are switching to Mercedes engines next year when the sport enters a new regulations era.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Ken Ferris)
