Having received an order not to let Pierre Gasly pass, Alpine Teammate Franco Colapinto ignored these pleas and passed him midway through the first uphill turn on lap 54 of 56 of the United States Grand Prix.
Despite what seemed like an eternity before the points were awarded, it didn't seem like the incident would become a big deal, but the team's social media activity suggests they are unhappy that their Argentine driver ignored their orders.
Posting a statement on his 'X' account, team managing director Steve Nielsen said: “Today, like many teams, we had to adapt our strategy based on the conditions and what we saw on track as the Hard tires did not look suitable for racing.
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“We instructed the drivers to maintain position as we were running out of fuel on both cars and added the variable of the number of laps remaining with the leaders in close proximity.
“As a team, any instructions made on the pit wall are final and today we are disappointed that this did not happen, so we will look into this issue internally.”
Posting this message on social media is not earth shattering in its dramatic nature. That doesn't mean Colapinto will suddenly find himself under pressure to lose his place again. The fact that he was competitive with the senior driver in Gasly only helps him in the fight for a place in 2026, despite the car's deteriorating performance.
But this is another sign that Alpine is currently in disarray and can't wait Mercedes engines within the framework of the new rules for the next season. In terms of performance, despite 20 points, they are entrenched at the bottom of the Constructors' Championship and have not scored a single point since the Belgian Grand Prix seven races ago.
Steve Nielsen pic.twitter.com/PYMkBQtdmR
— BWT Alpine Formula 1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) October 20, 2025
Talking to the-race.comAfter the race, Colapinto shared his point of view on the situation: “In the last stretch we had a little more speed than Pierre. And Bortoleto was very close behind and attacked very strongly.
“He was a lot faster than he is now, and what was holding me back was how slowly Pierre was going. I think in the current situation it was better for me to be in front.”
Despite the “mini controversy” over the team order, the reality that both Alpine cars were laps demonstrates the underperformance that has dominated much of 2025 and explains why they are bottom of the pack.
