Formula 1 started off complicated for Alpine at the 2026 Canadian GP, but Franco Colapinto managed to minimize the damage in the Sprint Qualifying in Montreal. The Argentine advanced to SQ2 and secured 13th position on the grid, while Pierre Gasly fell in SQ1.
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The French team faced problems already in FP1, marked by several red flags at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Colapinto did not even manage to set a time in the session after a problem with his car, while Gasly finished only 16th.
Even with little track activity, Colapinto evaluated his recovery during the Sprint Qualifying positively. “Considering how we started the day, practically without running in FP1, I think we did a good job,” he said. “The track was very dirty and with little grip, so it was important to accumulate laps and learning.”
The Argentine highlighted that he was improving throughout the session and praised Alpine’s work after the problems faced earlier. “It was a very difficult qualifying, but we managed to adapt well. Tomorrow we can do a better job after having more track time in the Sprint,” he added.
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On the other side of the garage, Gasly admitted frustration with the team’s performance. “It’s not a great start to the weekend here in Canada. Being eliminated in SQ1 was not what we expected,” said the Frenchman. “We are losing a lot in some areas and we need to improve that for qualifying.”
Sporting director Steve Nielsen summed up Friday as “very difficult” for Alpine. According to him, the problems with Colapinto’s car compromised the test program planned for FP1, while Gasly also did not have a clean session. The team now bets on the Sprint as an opportunity to collect more data before qualifying for the Canadian GP.
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