Franco Colapinto delivered one of the standout moments of the Chinese Grand Prix with a blistering start. The Argentine driver rocketed from 12th on the grid to 6th place by the end of the opening lap at Shanghai International Circuit on March 15, 2026. It was pure magic on the track and another sign he’s quickly becoming a force in Formula 1.
Colapinto nailed his getaway in the Alpine A526. He took full advantage of chaos ahead. Max Verstappen’s Red Bull had a sluggish launch, while Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from McLaren collided early and retired. That opened doors. Colapinto swept past Nico Hulkenberg in the Haas (now Audi-badged), Oliver Bearman, and Isack Hadjar. A spin between Hulkenberg and Bearman handed him two extra spots. Suddenly, he was right behind teammate Pierre Gasly in 6th.
The move reminded everyone of his sharp instincts. In Australia earlier this season, he dodged a near-disaster with Liam Lawson’s stalled car at the start. In the China Sprint on Saturday, he climbed from 16th to 12th with clean overtakes, including on Verstappen’s stalled Red Bull and Gabriel Bortoleto’s Audi. Starts are turning into Colapinto’s signature strength. Paddock chatter calls him one of the best off the line since his Williams days.
Despite the flying first lap, the race got tougher. Alpine struggled with heavy tire degradation and graining. Both Colapinto and Gasly felt it early. Tires wore fast, making it hard to push. Colapinto held strong for a while, running in the top five at points. He faced pressure and even a spin from teammate Esteban Ocon’s contact, but recovered smartly.
He crossed the line in 10th place. That gave him his first point with Alpine and his first since Austin 2024. Gasly finished 6th, showing the car has potential but needs tire fixes. Kimi Antonelli won for Mercedes, with George Russell second and Lewis Hamilton third for Ferrari in his first podium there.
Colapinto sounded honest after. “The degradation was very great, a lot of graining,” he said. “It was very difficult for us to deal with the graining and the clipping. We have clipping in different places from the others, which made it even harder. The graining and tire wear are noticeable very early.”
This weekend marked progress for Alpine after a shaky Australia start. Colapinto’s debut season is building nicely. His speed, composure, and that killer launch have fans excited. Argentine supporters are buzzing louder than ever.
Next up is Suzuka in Japan on March 29. With no Middle East races due to ongoing issues, the gap gives teams time to tweak setups. Colapinto will want more points and another strong start. If he keeps this form, bigger results could come soon.
What a way to grab attention in only his second race with the team. Colapinto’s not just surviving in F1—he’s shining. Watch this space; the young gun from Pilar is on the rise.