After months of speculation and a media day where he was perhaps the center of attention, Franco Colapinto was finally back in a Formula 1 car at historic Imola for the first two practice sessions ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Alpine team leader Flavio Briatore has contradicted his own squad’s announcement that Franco Colapinto had been promoted to a race seat for the next five Formula 1 rounds from this weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Alpine’s new F1 recruit opens up in his first interview since being announced as a replacement for Jack Doohan.