Alpine is reportedly assessing the position of Australian driver Jack Doohan and may replace him for the upcoming Formula 1 race at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola. Sources suggest Franco Colapinto could be brought into the lineup.
Doohan, a 22-year-old prospect, was already facing scrutiny regarding his prospects for the 2025 F1 season, particularly after Alpine surprisingly brought in Colapinto as their reserve driver.
Recent difficulties for the team, including performance issues during the Miami Grand Prix weekend, have added to the pressure surrounding Alpine`s driver situation. For instance, one of the team`s cars was eliminated early in Sprint Qualifying and later retired from the main race following an incident.
Reports indicate that Alpine management is currently evaluating Doohan`s future role and is expected to make a final decision sometime this week, prior to the Imola race weekend scheduled for May 16-18, which kicks off the European leg of the season.
Alpine has chosen not to issue any official comment regarding these reports.
Team Principal Bruno Famin did not hold the usual media briefing after the recent Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.
However, speaking to the media last Friday before the Miami event, when asked about the driver lineup for Imola, he stated:
“Yeah, as it is today, Jack is our driver along with Pierre. We`ve been pretty clear on that. We always evaluate, but yeah – today, that is the case.”
He also added:
“Jack needs to continue doing a good job. But it`s natural that there`s always speculation there.”
Doohan finished as runner-up in the 2023 Formula 2 Championship. While he has participated in practice sessions for Alpine, his potential race opportunities are under review amidst the team`s current performance challenges.
So far this season, the team`s points have come exclusively from Pierre Gasly`s results.
