Franco Colapinto at the Monaco Grand Prix, live

Argentine driver Franco Colapinto returns to the track this Friday for the practice sessions of the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, the sixth event of the 2026 season. Colapinto faces one of the calendar's most demanding challenges on the streets of Monte Carlo, where even minor errors can have severe consequences.

The weekend's activities commence with Free Practice 1 at 8:30 AM, followed by FP2 at 12:00 PM. Saturday will feature the third free practice session starting at 7:30 AM, with qualifying sessions beginning at 11:00 AM. The main race is scheduled for Sunday at 10:00 AM, comprising 78 laps around the iconic street circuit of the Principality.

Colapinto is currently in the best form of his career. Following seventh-place finishes in Miami and sixth in Canada, he has achieved his two best results since entering Formula 1. This strong performance underscores his growing confidence and capability on the elite racing circuit.

Adding to the pre-race buzz, Colapinto met with Flavio Briatore, executive advisor for Alpine and a key figure in his career progression. The meeting took place in Monaco during the presentation of a new French brand model. Briatore expressed his confidence in the Argentine driver, posting on social media, "How great that I received my new Alpine A390 today before the Monaco Grand Prix and Franco's lightning visit!" accompanied by photos with Colapinto and in the car.

The Monte Carlo street circuit is renowned as one of the most emblematic and challenging tracks in the entire championship. Spanning just 3.3 kilometers, its walls are positioned extremely close to the track, with almost no run-off areas. This unforgiving layout demands absolute precision from drivers, pushing them to the absolute limit on every lap.

“

How great that I received my new Alpine A390 today before the Monaco Grand Prix and Franco's lightning visit!