PALMER: Was Colapinto right to disobey team orders in Austin?
Former Renault F1 driver Jolyon Palmer gives his take on the Argentine ignoring the team call to hold station behind Pierre Gasly in Austin – and what it might mean for his chances of keeping the seat next year.
/GettyImages-2242052199.webp)
Franco Colapinto drew the ire from his Alpine team for ignoring their call for him to sit behind Pierre Gasly in the final stages of the United States Grand Prix, as Max Verstappen approached to put a lap on both Alpine cars.
It was a call that clearly frustrated the Argentinian driver who hasn’t got a confirmed seat for 2026 yet – and with plenty to prove, he showed some fight on track.
Disobeying team orders is always risky business for a driver, particularly when you are eager for a new contract, but to be honest I didn’t mind seeing it from Colapinto here. Personally I felt the team orders were overkill from Alpine.
Next Up
Related Articles
/16x9%20single%20image%20-%202026-02-20T105855.111.webp)
Leclerc leads Antonelli on final morning of Bahrain test
BettingF1 betting odds catching the eye after second test
POLL: Who impressed you the most in pre-season testing?
HighlightsCatch the action from Day 3 of the second Bahrain test
Aston Martin ‘not where we want to be’ – De la Rosa
The top tech innovations from 2026 pre-season testing