Before I get in the car for the last race of the year Yas Marina, Franco Colapinto had warned that with the rhythm of A525 I didn’t have high expectations, but I also had high expectations that something could happen on a track where overtaking is not an (almost) impossible mission. But him Abu Dhabi Grand Prixwhich brought the curtain down on the 2025 season formula 1 with a victory of Max Verstappen and the consecration of Lando Norris As world champion, it was too linear a race and the Argentine, who started 20th, crossed the finish line in the same position.
He was far from superior to his partner Pierre Gasly after the checkered flag because the Frenchman served a five-second penalty at the end of the race. But even then, the man from Pilar couldn’t take 19th place.
“It was a long race, there wasn’t much to do. There wasn’t much pace either, so nothing, a complicated weekend. We have to review everything again and work hard for next year,” lamented Colapinto. And without smiling and with an expression that betrayed his relief, he assured: “Thank God, this year is over.”
On the track the entire focus was on Norris, Verstappen and Piastri and the fight for the crown, the two of them alpine They were clearly slower than everyone else. And the Argentine suffered at the bottom with a car that, as in the entire championship, gave him no chance to fight. His best finish was 13th, which he achieved on the fifth lap, when several drivers had already made their first stop, allowing him to improve positions without overtaking. But his pit stops – on the 16th and 41st laps – brought him back to the back of the grid on both occasions.
Franco’s second boxing arrest. Round 41/58. #AbudhabiGP 🇦🇪 | #Colapintopic.twitter.com/lcnml3kA71
– Attention Colapinto (@atencionfc) December 7, 2025
In one “battle” The Frenchman, sharing a turn with Gasly, had a good chance of finishing at the front when, with twelve laps to go, the Frenchman received a five-second penalty for exceeding the track limits. At that moment, almost six seconds separated them. The man from Pilar pushed to see if he could close that gap, but there was not enough time and – after the penalty was imposed – he was only 2.095 thousandths behind his teammate.
Colapinto thus ended his first season in the top team with Alpine without any points. He was one of the two drivers who failed to score this season Jack Doohanwhom he replaced in the French team from the seventh round of the year, in Emilia-Romagna.
He took part in 18 Grand Prix, but in Great Britain Due to a problem with his car’s engine, he couldn’t even start in the main race. His best performance was 11th place, which he achieved NetherlandsAt the end of August and on the 13th when he signed up Monacoin May, in his second test with the team and in Canada Mid-June.
In the first half of the season the car seemed to be uncomfortable for him, but after the European summer break he found a little more rhythm and ultimately secured the starting position for the next championship, which gives him great anticipation.
“It wasn’t a very positive year, but hey, it’s part of the process. I think next season will be much better and we have prepared well, so we want to start working on that and forget a little what happened in 2025,” he analyzed.
“I keep a lot of things from this season. Especially with a team that didn’t give up despite our poor results. That’s very important and I think it prepares us for when things go better. There’s still a lot to improve,” he said.
And looking ahead to a 2026 that will come with new technical regulations and completely renewed cars, he allowed himself to dream: “We have to work hard, so I will go back to Argentina for a few days and then focus on next season to fight and get good results. I want to have a good year, so we have to work for it.”
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