"In Imola," the CEO of YPF left the microphone open and anticipated when Franco Colapinto will debut at Alpine in Formula 1 in 2025.

At first he tried to dodge the answer, and he did it well, but Horacio Marin , the CEO of YPF, didn't realize his microphone was still on when he uttered the phrase that all Franco Colapinto fans were waiting to hear. "In Imola," he replied after finishing a television interview but still on air, while the host made way for one of the mobile phones. So, the Argentine driver's debut with Alpine in the 2025 Formula 1 season would be at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix , between May 16 and 18, where he would then replace Australian Jack Doohan .

"I can't say for sure..." Marin said, initially laughing, when journalist Eduardo Feinmann asked him about the Pilar native, citing the oil company as one of his main sponsors. "I don't know, I don't know..." he continued with a mischievous smile.

Colapinto makes his debut at Imola. Take note.

— Eduardo Feinmann (@edufeiok) April 29, 2025

After the obligatory farewell greeting, they cut to a live mobile broadcast, and as the sweep was taking place, Marin himself was heard saying the two magic words: "In Imola." As if to reinforce his point, the journalist who conducted the interview posted the information on his 'X' account (formerly Twitter), without mentioning Marin.

Between May 2 and 4, in the second round of the season with a sprint format (the first was in China, where Lewis Hamilton won the Sprint Race), Colapinto "will be in Enstone" in the simulator, repeating what he did on the third, fourth, and fifth days of the championship.

Alpine's initial plan for its Argentine reserve driver was for him to be in the paddock in Australia and China , which came to fruition, and for him to return to Saudi Arabia and Miami , something that ultimately will not happen. Paul Aron , his replacement at Suzuka (Japan) and Sakhir (Bahrain), repeated in Jeddah, as it was another destination in the Middle East, and will travel to the United States, since Ryo Hirakawa ceased to be a reserve driver at Alpine after landing with the same role at Haas after the Japanese GP in which he replaced Doohan in FP1.

On the other hand, the man who drove nine races last year for Williams, replacing Logan Sargeant, proved to be a useful asset to the team in the simulator, helping from the team's English base to adapt what was being applied on the track. This is how Pierre Gasly scored his first six points of the season in the fourth race. And the goal, following the Frenchman's retirement due to a crash involving Yuki Tsunoda at the start of the Saudi Arabian GP, ​​is to repeat the feat in Miami.

What's next? Is the plan for him to leave the simulator and return to a circuit at Imola, from May 16-18? Could he make a comeback as a regular, replacing Jack Doohan, who hasn't been up to scratch in his first races, has been far behind Pierre Gasly's times, and is only ahead of Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) in terms of performance among rookies? "Nothing is confirmed yet," Alpine confirmed.

Colapinto's entourage, for now, was enthusiastic about the possibility of him driving at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari racetrack, a circuit he knows and has fond memories of several victories in F1's support categories. Two years ago, on April 23, 2022, he won his first race (a Sprint Race) in Formula 3 with a car from the Van Amersfoort Racing team. On May 18, 2024—a date that coincides with this year's Emilia Romagna F1 GP—he won the Formula 2 Sprint Race after a spectacular last-lap maneuver to overtake Paul Aron, whom he had beaten by half a second in the race simulation a few weeks ago at the Alpine TPC tests in Monza.

According to the YPF CEO's inadvertent slip, it seems that's going to happen...