Franco Colapinto, the Alpine driver, was involved in a high-speed crash during Pirelli tyre testing at the Hungaroring on Wednesday. The incident occurred at Turn 11, a fast right-hander.
Alpine confirmed the accident and stated that Colapinto was assessed at the circuit's medical center and is "OK". The team released a brief statement saying, "During Day 2 of Pirelli Tyre Testing at the Hungaroring this morning, Franco Colapinto had an incident at Turn 11. Franco was assessed on site at the medical centre and is okay".
The crash brought a temporary halt to the testing session. Images circulating on social media show the car facing the wrong direction next to the barrier, with significant damage to its right-hand side.
Several F1 teams, including Alpine, McLaren, Ferrari, and Racing Bulls, remained at the Hungaroring after the Hungarian Grand Prix to participate in the two-day Pirelli tyre test. The test focuses on the development of 2026 tyres. Pirelli aims to validate constructions that need to be homologated by September 1 and develop the softest compounds, mainly the C3 to C5. Teams are using test mules adapted to the sizes of the 2026 tire dimensions, which are 25mm narrower at the front and 30mm narrower at the rear.
Alpine was the only team scheduled to complete both days of the test. Paul Aron drove for Alpine on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Colapinto was sharing driving duties with Pierre Gasly. Gasly drove the A523 in the morning, and Colapinto was scheduled to drive it in the afternoon. Following the crash, it appears that Alpine's running for the day ended for the car involved, but the team is continuing its private running in a 2023 car.
Colapinto has been driving for Alpine since replacing Jack Doohan six rounds into the season. He has started seven races for the team, though a technical issue prevented him from racing at Silverstone. To date, he and Gasly are the only drivers who have not scored any points for the team in 2025. Despite Alpine's struggles, Colapinto had a more competitive showing in Hungary, outqualifying Gasly.
