FIA confirm 60-PLACE grid penalty ruling at British GP following Verstappen…read more
Alpine’s Franco Colapinto has been handed a massive 60-place grid penalty by the FIA ahead of the 2025 British Grand Prix, following a disastrous qualifying session and extensive changes made to his car.
The Argentine driver’s qualifying woes began with a costly error in Q1 at Silverstone, where he lost control of his car and crashed into the barriers. The incident not only ended his session prematurely but also caused a red flag, disrupting the flow of the session for others. With his car unable to return to the pits under its own power, Colapinto was left stranded with a poor qualifying result, provisionally placed 20th on the grid.
In response to the crash and poor grid slot, Alpine made sweeping changes to Colapinto’s power unit components in an attempt to salvage their race weekend. Among the parts replaced were the internal combustion engine, turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K, energy store, control electronics, and the exhaust system.
However, the team’s decision to replace these components during parc fermé conditions – without receiving prior approval from the FIA technical delegate – automatically triggered a breach of regulations. This infraction not only earned Colapinto a pitlane start, but the sheer number of replaced elements resulted in a staggering 60-place grid penalty. Under the current rules, each new power unit element brings a 10-place grid penalty.
Despite the absurdity of the 60-place drop – considering there are only 20 drivers on the grid – the penalty has symbolic weight. As per Article 42.3 d) of the Sporting Regulations, any driver receiving more than 15 cumulative grid penalties must start from the back of the grid. In Colapinto’s case, this has been further escalated to a mandatory pitlane start, compounding his miserable weekend.
Colapinto, who has yet to score a point since returning to Formula 1 with Alpine, is now facing mounting pressure. His qualifying crash and the penalties that followed have put his future with the team into serious question.
Fueling speculation around his seat, Alpine recently announced that reserve driver Paul Aron will take part in two FP1 sessions – one at Silverstone and the other at the Hungaroring. Though the team has not officially commented on the status of Colapinto’s contract, the move to test Aron’s performance hints that Alpine may already be exploring replacement options.
In addition to Aron, Mercedes reserve driver Valtteri Bottas has also been linked with a potential move to Alpine. With his wealth of experience and proven track record, Bottas could offer the consistency Alpine needs as they continue to struggle for points this season.
With the British Grand Prix fast approaching, all eyes will be on Colapinto’s performance — or lack thereof — as he starts from the pitlane under intense scrutiny. Whether this weekend marks a turning point or a farewell remains to be seen.
