Feb.2 (GMM) Observers in Barcelona have noticed that Mercado Libre, Franco Colapinto’s most prominent Argentine backer, has quietly disappeared from the Alpine livery – just days after Flavio Briatore publicly reassured that Colapinto is secure for the entirety of the 2026 season.
The timing has inevitably raised eyebrows, particularly as the Argentine-backed brand has simultaneously surfaced elsewhere in the paddock. Mercado Libre branding has appeared on the helmet of Sergio Perez at Cadillac, with reports suggesting that via its Brazilian subsidiary, the company will also support Gabriel Bortoleto at Audi.
Sources close to the situation stress that negotiations between Alpine and Mercado Libre are still ongoing.
Colapinto himself struck a calm, forward-looking tone when speaking to Spanish media during the Barcelona shakedown.
“It’s a new era, a completely different car from last year, so you start the year with a lot of enthusiasm and motivation,” he said.
“It’s a team that has worked incredibly hard. There are over a thousand people at the factory working day and night to get a car on track.”
The Argentine added that expectations remain deliberately contained.
“We’re very focused on ourselves because it’s very difficult to know where the other teams will be. We have very little information about the rest. We have to improve our own game first,” said the 22-year-old.
Asked about the presence of reserve driver Paul Aron, Colapinto dismissed any suggestion his seat may already be in doubt.
“Third drivers are there to help the team, especially in a season with new cars. Their role is very important,” the Argentine insisted.
Away from the F1 paddock, Colapinto’s Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly has been making headlines of his own. Gasly has joined the investor group backing Gunther Steiner-led Tech3 in MotoGP, through the Trail Slam fund, of which he is a co-founder.
“I have a strong conviction in the strength of the Tech3 brand and the long-term growth of MotoGP,” the French driver said. “The team has significant untapped potential, and I look forward to helping elevate its profile.”
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