F1 driver 'set to be replaced' after Austrian GP as team make brutal decision

A Formula 1 driver could be replaced after this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix.

Last time out, George Russell won the Canadian Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli.

Following the race in Montreal, there was a short break but F1 will return this weekend with the Austrian Grand Prix, taking place at the Red Bull Ring.

Looking ahead to this weekend's action, a lot of attention will be fixated on the Alpine garage.

Back in May, Alpine announced that Argentine Franco Colapinto would replace Jack Doohan for five races.

At the time, a team statement read: "Franco Colapinto will be making the step up to race driver for the next five races."

This weekend's Austrian Grand Prix is set to be the fifth race since the announcement, casting doubt over Colapinto's future.

So far, there has been no announcement made over who would race alongside Pierre Gasly for Alpine at the British Grand Prix, which will take place at the start of July.

As things stand, Colapinto could depart the team after the race in Spielberg as his 'five-race contract' is up.

Since stepping up to race for Alpine, Colapinto has failed to score a single point, having finished 16th, 13th, 15th and 13th in his first four races.

Franco Colapinto could be axed after the Austrian Grand Prix. Image: Getty

Speaking after the Canadian Grand Prix, Colapinto said: "We maximised what we’ve done today. It just didn’t go our way, strategy-wise. It was tricky to know [if] we were doing the wrong thing, but we definitely were doing the wrong stuff.

"At the beginning of the race, stopping early with so many cars starting on [the] hard [tyre], and the team-mates of the guys in front making the race slow for them – it just put us in a really bad position, killing the tyres."

The 22-year-old added: "I had [a] really slow pace after that pit stop with the dirty air and [it was] very tricky to overtake, just power [limited] on the straights and it just made our race very tricky. We went a bit backwards.

"It was tough out there today. Still [there were] some things learned and some things to take, but we need to focus on the next one."