Gabriele Minì set to drive for Alpine in FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix

Alpine Formula 1 Team have confirmed that Gabriele Minì will drive for the team in the opening practice session of this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix.

Minì, who has been a member of the Alpine Academy since 2023 will get his first run out on an F1 race weekend, jumping into the cockpit of Franco Colapinto’s A526 for Free Practice 1.

The Italian driver gets this opportunity off the back of a strong campaign in Formula 2, where he is currently fourth in the Standings with two rounds to go, having achieved two victories and an additional seven podiums.

Minì, who has previously taken part in the Testing of Previous Cars Programme (TPC) with Alpine this year, is excited to now get a chance to debut on a Formula 1 race weekend.

“I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the A526 and taking part in my first ever Free Practice 1 in Formula One,” said Minì. “Having been part of the Alpine Academy for several years and progressing through the junior ranks, competing in an official Formula One session is going to be a really special moment for me.

“Thank you to Flavio, Steve and everyone at the team for their trust and for the opportunity. I’ve been doing a lot of preparation back at base in Enstone, spending time on the simulator and working closely with the engineers to make sure I’m as ready as possible and able to put my best foot forward both personally and for the team. My goal is to do the best possible job on track and help provide valuable data and feedback to the team to hopefully set-up a successful weekend, where both Pierre and Franco aim to score points by the end of it.”