F1 News: Briatore denies Colapinto only guaranteed five races

(GMM) Flavio Briatore has denied his own claim that Franco Colapinto (pictured) is guaranteed only the next five grands prix in Jack Doohan’s Alpine seat.

In the days after the recent Miami GP, the Enstone based team announced that it had decided to “rotate” the second seat alongside Pierre Gasly.

Executive advisor Briatore was quoted in the official statement as saying: “Having reviewed the opening races of the season, we have come to the decision to put Franco in the car alongside Pierre for the next five races.”

As they arrived in Imola, multiple F1 drivers criticized the harsh decision – both to oust Doohan after just six races, and then guarantee only a five-race run for fellow F1 rookie Colapinto.

Even Colapinto admitted he was bemused.

“After you heard Carlos (Sainz) saying that he needs like ten races to get used to a car, I think five is not enough for me,” said the 21-year-old.

“But it is what I have, and I just want to maximize it, enjoy it and try to do the best for the team.”

It is believed the five-race deadline is Briatore’s way of putting pressure on Colapinto’s lucrative sponsors. However, he now even denies that anything particular will happen at the end of the Austrian GP at the end of June.

“It’s not that a driver gets three or five races,” Briatore said at Imola, “but that I was disappointed with Doohan. I expected more from Jack, but maybe he needs a break.

“The team will have to decide how many races Colapinto will do,” the flamboyant Italian added. “I read somewhere that he has five races, but we haven’t actually set a limit on the number of races he can do.”

Briatore insists he is only demanding three things from Colapinto to remain in the seat “forever”.

“Drive fast, don’t crash the car, score points. I don’t expect ten things from him, but if he does those three, he will always race. If he does well, he’ll stay forever, not for five races.”

Colapinto was clearly off Gasly’s pace on Friday, but he also irritated multiple other drivers by not getting out of the way on track. Max Verstappen called the Argentine “this guy” as he accused Colapinto of using DRS to prevent the Red Bull from passing.

“I think everyone was annoyed by Franco Colapinto,” Dutch commentator Olav Mol told Ziggo Sport. “He also held up Fernando Alonso a lot and he was also a big obstacle for Lewis Hamilton.

“I’m not going to make myself popular, but I don’t really like Colapinto,” Mol added. “The whole world is running after him and shouting that he’s so good. All of Argentina calls him the best invention since running water.

“I don’t believe any of it.”

Meanwhile, having stepped down as Alpine team boss amid alleged connections with his brother Williams’ legal troubles, Oliver Oakes returned to the Formula 2 paddock at Imola.

Briatore is now the de-facto Alpine boss, but not in the eyes of the FIA – as he is not a direct employee of the team and lacks the correct license.

For now, Alpine has assigned Dave Greenwood as the official liaison. “As far as the role of team principal is concerned, I need to assess the situation,” Briatore said.

“For now I’m taking over, but I’m used to that. It’s not my first day.”