Only in 2025 could a Formula 1 team make “fake merch” the official play.
Renault Argentina has launched the “Originals Fake Collection” for Franco Colapinto’s fanbase, a royalty-free trove of logos, photos, illustrations, and stickers designed so supporters can print their own gear at home without torching their savings. The move lands with a wink: last season, when he was still at Williams, Colapinto openly told Argentine fans to skip pricey official kit and buy knock-offs instead, joking that F1 merch could “bankrupt” people back home.
He’s now with Alpine for 2025, and the driver himself boosted the launch video on his socials. Colapinto also serves as an ambassador for Renault Esprit Alpine in Argentina, which explains the heavy Renault branding on the assets. That, in turn, triggered fresh whispers about Alpine F1 potentially reverting to the Renault name. Don’t read too much into it. Locally, it’s about reach: Alpine road cars aren’t officially sold in Argentina, and just 51 were sold outside Europe and Japan last year. Renault is a household badge across South America; Alpine isn’t—yet.
Still, the “Colapinto effect” is real. Argentine media have reported Renault Argentina president Pablo Sibilla is seriously exploring a path to bring Alpine to the market. Even if volumes wouldn’t be huge, the visibility is gold: a young Argentine in F1, a national wave of support, and a brand activation that flips fan humor into a sanctioned campaign.
It also sends a clear signal about where Colapinto stands at Enstone. Despite chatter before the summer break that his place might be under review after a bumpy return—he missed the first quarter of the season as Alpine’s initial reserve—his seat is understood to be secure for the second half. There’s the standard caveat that nothing in F1 is guaranteed if late-season form nosedives ahead of 2026, but for now, the team and driver are aligned.
And as brand moves go, this is smart. Argentina’s inflation reality makes official F1 merchandise a luxury item. By opening a royalty-free library and letting fans create their own, Renault has found a way to meet the moment, nurture a fanbase, and keep Colapinto’s momentum rolling—all without asking supporters to empty their wallets.
It’s cheeky, it’s practical, and it’s very on-brand for the kid who told everyone to “buy the fake stuff” in the first place. Now they can—officially.
