Franco Colapinto Returns to Baku With a Clear F1 Goal

Franco Colapinto returns to Baku with Alpine after a seventh-place finish in Spain, aiming to continue his recent run of points-scoring results in Formula 1.

Colapinto returns to the scene of his F1 breakthrough

Some Formula 1 circuits become closely linked to a driver’s career. For Franco Colapinto, Baku is one of those places.

The Argentine returns to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend with Alpine. He arrives after finishing seventh at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, another points-paying result during his 2026 campaign. Formula 1’s official results show that Colapinto also finished seventh in Miami and sixth in Canada earlier this season.

Baku carries a different meaning, though. It was here in 2024 that Colapinto scored the first Formula 1 points of his career.

Franco Colapinto raced at Baku for Williams in 2024, scoring points in only his second Formula 1 appearance.

Colapinto reached Q3 and started eighth in the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He then finished eighth after 51 laps, collecting four championship points for Williams.

The result was significant for another reason. Colapinto became the first Argentine driver to score Formula 1 points since Carlos Reutemann in 1982, according to Formula 1’s report from that weekend.

Now, two years later, his situation is very different.

He is no longer a young substitute making his first steps in the championship. He is racing as a full-time Alpine driver and arrives in Azerbaijan after one of his strongest weekends of the 2026 season.

Alpine wants to carry its recent momentum

Colapinto’s seventh place in Madrid came after another strong qualifying performance. He reached Q3 and qualified ninth, finishing ahead of his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly. Formula 1 described the Spanish weekend as probably Colapinto’s best race weekend of the season in terms of execution.

The result also continued an important recent run.

Colapinto scored points in Spain after collecting points in the previous two European rounds. His 2026 record now includes eight points-scoring finishes after 14 races, according to Formula 1’s official driver results.

That gives Alpine a stronger foundation heading into Baku.

Colapinto said he wants to transfer the performance level from Madrid to Azerbaijan. The team’s official preview also highlights the confidence created by its recent points-scoring form.

Colapinto arrives in Baku after finishing seventh for Alpine at the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix.

The challenge will be different.

The Baku City Circuit is a high-speed street track with long straights, heavy braking zones and very narrow sections. Alpine says the difference from Turn 16 to Turn 1 is around 2.2 kilometers, creating opportunities for overtaking.

The most famous section is the castle area. The track becomes extremely narrow there, with a minimum width of only 7.6 meters at Turn 8.

That leaves almost no room for mistakes.

Baku could create opportunities for Alpine

Street circuits can also produce unpredictable races. Close barriers, changing track position and strategy can quickly alter the order.

That is something Colapinto is aware of. His objective is not simply to repeat the seventh-place result from Madrid. Instead, he wants Alpine to be ready to capitalize if opportunities appear during the race.

The team is entering a particularly busy period. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is the first race of a triple-header, adding another layer of pressure to preparation and execution.

Colapinto has already identified the key approach: carry Alpine’s recent performance into another demanding street circuit.

That means finding a good setup, qualifying strongly and staying out of trouble around the walls.

The Baku City Circuit combines long straights with the narrow castle section through the historic center of the city.

Pierre Gasly will also look to build on Alpine’s recent form. The Frenchman has a particularly strong Baku memory, having finished third at the circuit in 2021.

Gasly, however, also noted that the circuit has not always been particularly favorable to Alpine in recent seasons. The team’s target is therefore to establish a competitive setup early in the weekend and put both cars in a position to fight for points.

For Colapinto, Baku offers something more personal.

His 2024 result changed the perception around his rookie campaign. It was his first Q3 appearance and his first points finish, all in only his second Grand Prix.

Now he returns as an Alpine driver with a much larger body of Formula 1 experience behind him.

The Franco Colapinto Baku return therefore combines a meaningful memory with a current sporting objective. After taking seventh in Madrid, the Argentine wants another top-10 finish as Alpine continues its push for more championship points.