The Alpine Formula 1 team has opted to replace driver Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto for a duration of five races, commencing with the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Colapinto will compete alongside Pierre Gasly.
Doohan, aged 22, will retain his role as a reserve driver for Alpine. His removal from the race seat follows his failure to score any points in the initial six rounds of the 2025 F1 season. He is the second young driver this year to be replaced, after Red Bull sent Liam Lawson back to their junior team after just two races.
Discussions surrounding Doohan`s position had begun even before his rookie season started, notably after Alpine signed Colapinto from Williams as a reserve driver in January, sparking rumors of an imminent replacement for the Australian.
Colapinto, 21, rapidly gained prominence and substantial financial backing from sponsors in his native Argentina after catching the eye during nine race appearances for Williams towards the end of last season. However, the team characterizes his arrival as a `rotation` that is part of `an ongoing assessment` of their driver lineup, indicating he too will face immediate pressure.
This driver change announcement on Wednesday morning followed the resignation of Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes the previous evening. Executive advisor Flavio Briatore, a figure known for guiding Benetton and Renault to multiple world championships in the 1990s and 2000s, has taken over Oakes` responsibilities.
In Alpine`s official statement confirming the driver switch, Briatore commented:
Having reviewed the opening races of the season, we have come to the decision to put Franco in the car alongside Pierre for the next five races. With the field being so closely matched this year, and with a competitive car, which the team has drastically improved in the past 12 months, we are in a position where we see the need to rotate our line-up. We also know the 2026 season will be an important one for the team and having a complete and fair assessment of the drivers this season is the right thing to do in order to maximise our ambitions next year.
He added:
We continue to support Jack as the team, as he has acted in a very professional manner in his role as a race driver so far this season. The next five races will give us an opportunity to try something different and after this time period we will assess our options.
Doohan: Demotion Tough to Take
Jack Doohan finally received his opportunity with Alpine after serving three seasons as a reserve driver. The team had signed him for the 2025 season in August of the previous year and had also placed him in the car for the final race of 2024, stepping in for the departing Esteban Ocon.
Nonetheless, the recruitment of Colapinto as a reserve driver in January generated continuous speculation within the paddock regarding the timing of Doohan`s potential replacement. Both Doohan and Oakes were frequently questioned on this subject during media sessions throughout 2025.
While Doohan demonstrated moments of pace, significant crashes at the season-opening race in Australia and the third round in Japan increased the scrutiny and pressure on him. This pressure seemed apparent during the most recent race weekend in Miami, where he expressed frustration over the team radio after being eliminated from Sprint Qualifying.
Reflecting on the situation, Doohan stated:
I am very proud to have achieved my lifelong ambition to be a professional Formula 1 driver and I will forever be grateful to the team for helping me achieve this dream. Obviously, this latest chapter is a tough one for me to take because as a professional driver, naturally I want to be racing. That said, I appreciate the team`s trust and commitment. We have long-term goals as a team to achieve and I will continue to give my maximum efforts in any way I can to help achieve those.
For now, I will keep my head down, keep working hard, watch with interest the next five races and keep chasing my own personal goals.
Colapinto`s Unorthodox F1 Journey Continues
Franco Colapinto`s promotion from reserve driver under this unusual short-term arrangement adds another chapter to what is becoming one of the most unconventional paths taken to an F1 career in the sport`s recent history.
He commented on the opportunity:
Firstly, I want to thank the team for giving me the opportunity to drive competitively for the next five races. I will work hard with the team to prepare for the next race in Imola and the upcoming triple-header, which will no doubt be intense and a big challenge for everyone. I have stayed sharp, and I am as ready as possible with the team`s race support testing programme, as well as on the simulator at Enstone. I will do my best to get up to speed quickly and give it my all to deliver the best possible results alongside Pierre.
The Argentine driver had replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams for the final nine rounds of the 2024 season. Despite this experience, he had no clear route to a 2025 race seat with the team, as Williams had already secured the highly-regarded pairing of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.
Colapinto made a promising start to his initial F1 races, notably scoring points in two of his first four appearances. This performance led to speculation linking him with a potential seat at either Red Bull or, more realistically, their junior team Racing Bulls.
However, his form appeared to dip towards the end of the 2024 season, marked by several crashes. Consequently, it seemed he was set to remain on the sidelines in 2025, serving solely as a Williams reserve driver.
His situation changed with a surprising move to Alpine in January. The terms of this transfer were initially unclear, with Williams team principal James Vowles indicating that his team expected to have Colapinto back `at some point`. However, the driver`s manager has since reportedly confirmed that the arrangement is a five-year loan.
Now, Colapinto has five races to establish his position at Alpine. He is aware that reserve drivers such as Doohan and potentially the 21-year-old Estonian Paul Aron are also candidates being assessed for future opportunities.
