Formula One driver Franco Colapinto has left the motorsport world in a state of shock after revealing a dramatic and powerful new physique ahead of the 2026 season.
A Viral Reveal of New Muscle
The 22-year-old Argentine, preparing for his second full campaign with the Alpine team, shared a shirtless training video from Uruguay that has since gone viral. The footage, filmed by his coach Lucas Benamo, shows Colapinto running along a road, displaying a significantly more muscular and defined upper body than fans have seen before.
The transformation is so stark that many supporters struggled to recognise the young driver. Social media was quickly flooded with reactions, with one fan exclaiming, "What a shape Franco is [in]," while another declared, "Bro is absolutely JACKED." A third hailed the change as an "Awesome transformation!" and a fourth follower humorously questioned whether he would still fit into his F1 cockpit.
Preparing for a Pivotal Season
Colapinto has been making the most of his final days at home in South America before the serious business of the new season begins. He captioned his social media post, "Happy to have visited and travelled around this country before returning to Europe. See you soon."
His journey will now take him back to Alpine's headquarters in Enstone, Oxfordshire. The team's private testing programme is scheduled to commence in late January and February, building up to the annual pre-season tests in Barcelona later this month.
This year marks a crucial point in Colapinto's career. It will be his third season in the F1 paddock, following a path that began in the Williams Driver Academy. He made his debut midway through the 2024 season, replacing Logan Sargeant, and later secured a multi-year deal as a test and reserve driver with Alpine for 2025.
Alpine's Faith in Their Young Talent
His promotion to a race seat came after the Miami Grand Prix last year, when Jack Doohan was moved to a reserve role, allowing Colapinto to debut for Alpine at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. His first full season had its challenges, including a qualifying crash at Imola and a best finish of 11th in the Netherlands, leaving him without a championship point by year's end.
Despite these setbacks, Alpine's management has expressed strong continued support. Managing director Steve Nielsen recently stated, "Franco is a young driver. We've seen other young drivers go through good and difficult periods - he's on that journey."
Nielsen highlighted Colapinto's potential, noting, "There were races earlier in the year when he was a match for Pierre [Gasly] and on a couple of occasions maybe even faster than Pierre in the races. He's on that journey, and we'll give him all the support he needs."
This impressive physical overhaul demonstrates Colapinto's intense commitment to preparation, signalling his determination to make a greater impact when the 2026 Formula One World Championship gets underway.
