Argentine driver Franco Colapinto expressed optimism after finishing 14th in the Australian Grand Prix with Alpine. He described the race as 'long and difficult.' Colapinto mentioned that he believes the team may have touched the car just 15 seconds before the start, though he has not yet spoken to them in detail about the incident. He also expressed surprise and considered the 'stop-and-go' penalty imposed by the race stewards to be excessive, noting that it forced him to start from the back of the grid and heavily influenced his race strategy. Despite the setback, he praised his reflexes and thanked everyone for their support, adding that the team will work to improve for the next race in China.
