Under pressure, Alpine driver Franco Colapinto experienced a crash during a Pirelli tire evaluation at the Hungaroring on Wednesday.
Following the incident, Colapinto was transported to the medical facility at the circuit, and Alpine released a statement confirming that the Argentine racer was “fine.”
“In the morning of the second day of Pirelli tire testing at the Hungaroring, Franco Colapinto encountered an issue at Turn 11,” Alpine mentioned in their announcement. “Franco was evaluated at the medical center on-site and is fine.”
Colapinto, who is temporarily with Alpine after joining from Williams, took over for Jack Doohan earlier this year but has faced difficulties in achieving results alongside his teammate Pierre Gasly, having yet to earn any points.
There has been considerable speculation regarding the possibility that he might be replaced in the seat by Doohan, reserve driver Paul Aron, or even Mercedes reserve driver Valtteri Bottas before this season concludes.
Colapinto’s incident at the Hungaroring followed a race weekend at that same location where he outperformed Gasly in both qualifying and race results.
Turn 11 is a right turn taken at 142 mph, with limited run-off available beyond the exit curb. Alpine has not provided any information regarding the circumstances of the crash.
Alpine selected Colapinto after he participated in nine races with Williams during the latter part of the 2024 season, achieving a total of five points.
The two-day test session at the Hungaroring is being held to evaluate Pirelli’s tyres for 2026, which are somewhat narrower than the existing ones and part of a broader overhaul of regulations for the upcoming season.
During both days of testing, Alpine was active, with Aron taking the wheel on Tuesday for the Pirelli evaluation while Colapinto and Gasly are set to split driving duties on Wednesday. The tyre testing was carried out using this year’s vehicle, while Alpine also brought a 2023 car to the test for Colapinto and Gasly.
Following participation from McLaren and Racing Bulls in Tuesday’s testing, Ferrari is scheduled to drive on Wednesday using an updated version of this year’s SF-25, crafted to mimic the handling of a 2026 car in both corners and straightaways.
The goal of the test is to perform a conclusive assessment on the tyre construction for 2026, which must be approved and homologated by September 1.
Development on compounds for the next season will continue through six additional testing days later in the year, with final decisions expected by December 15.
Mario Isola, head of Pirelli Motorsport, indicated that they gained substantial insights during the session, despite the crash involving Colapinto.
“We gathered a wealth of data, although it was unfortunate that we missed out on some potential distance when Colapinto went off the track, even if this incident was unrelated to the tyres,” he remarked.
“Regarding construction, we have confirmed our final solutions for homologation in advance of the regulations that will be implemented on September 1. In contrast, we still have three more test sessions planned—in Monza, Mugello, and Mexico City—to finalize the development of the compounds, which will be homologated by December 15.”
