Franco Colapinto, USA News (Mexico City): The race outcome in Mexico shifted dramatically for Franco Colapinto following a post-race investigation by FIA stewards. The Argentine driver, competing for Alpine, was handed a 10-second penalty after officials reviewed telemetry and onboard footage from the event. According to the stewards, Colapinto failed to reduce his speed sufficiently while passing through a sector under a single yellow flag, violating Article B1.8.4a of the Formula 1 regulations.
Colapinto had initially crossed the finish line in eighth place and was subsequently promoted to seventh following a penalty given to Oscar Piastri. However, the 10-second time penalty dropped him down to fifteenth in the official classification of the Gran Premio de la Ciudad de México. Alongside the time penalty, he received one point on his superlicence, bringing his 12-month total to five.
Before the penalty, Colapinto had delivered one of his strongest weekends of the season. Starting from eleventh on the grid, he gained positions on the opening lap by passing Pierre Gasly, Lando Norris, and Nico Hülkenberg. He also capitalized on an incident involving Isack Hadjar and George Russell, moving into seventh position early in the race. Executing a single-stop strategy on medium tires, he maintained a consistent pace and avoided major trouble until the post-race ruling.
Alpine Fails to Score Points in Mexico
The penalty to Colapinto compounded a difficult day for the French constructor. Pierre Gasly received a more severe punishment consisting of a convert-to-time stop-and-go penalty equivalent to 20 seconds, plus two superlicence points for violating regulations under a double yellow flag sector. The stewards concluded that Gasly’s deceleration was also insufficient compared to other competitors.
As a result, Alpine left the Mexico City Grand Prix with zero points. Executive advisor Flavio Briatore expressed frustration over the outcome, noting that both drivers performed well during the race despite the setbacks. The team now prepares for the upcoming round at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Interlagos for the São Paulo Grand Prix.
