Sources confirm that Alpine F1 Team has already finalised Jack Doohan replacement with Franco Colapinto set to take his seat ahead of the next Formula 1 round in Imola.
This dramatic mid-season driver change coming just six races into the 2025 F1 season underscores the high-stakes environment of modern Formula 1 and the relentless pressure on rookies to deliver immediate results.
While Jack Doohan replacement rumours have swirled ever since Franco Colapinto was signed by Alpine F1 as their reserve driver last season, reports now confirm the rookie was informed the team intended to make a driver change before leaving Miami.
Doohan’s elevation to a full-time Alpine race seat was a story of both opportunity and risk. After stepping in for Esteban Ocon at the 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi, the Australian driver was promoted to the main lineup following the team’s failure to secure Carlos Sainz who opted for Williams instead.
The 22-year old’s debut season, however, has been anything but smooth. Despite flashes of raw speed-such as outqualifying his experienced teammate Pierre Gasly in Miami and delivering a strong sprint qualifying performance in China, his campaign has been marred by inconsistency and costly errors.
A series of incidents have punctuated Doohan’s short stint at Alpine. He crashed out in wet conditions on the opening lap of his home Grand Prix in Australia, severely damaging his car and setting the tone for a challenging start to the year.
Further trouble followed in Japan where he lost control during practice after failing to deactivate his DRS before the high-speed Turn One, and in China where he collected penalties in both the sprint and main races.
The most recent blow came at the Miami Grand Prix where Doohan collided with Liam Lawson at the first corner forcing him into an early retirement despite a promising qualifying performance.
While some of Doohan’s struggles can be attributed to Alpine’s own difficulties – an unexpectedly tricky start to the 2025 F1 season after a promising pre-season – the team’s patience has evidently run out.
The lack of points after six races, combined with a series of high-profile mistakes has left the Enstone based outfit’s management with little choice but to consider alternatives.
The pressure on Doohan was only intensified by the arrival of Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver, a move orchestrated by executive advisor Flavio Briatore who has long been an admirer of the Argentine’s talent.
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Colapinto’s path to the Alpine race seat has been anything but conventional. After making a strong impression during a nine-race stint with Williams in 2024 where he scored points in Azerbaijan and the United States but also endured significant crashes at Sao Paulo and Las Vegas, the 21-year-old Argentine was brought into Alpine’s fold as a reserve driver.
His performances while occasionally erratic showcased both speed and resilience, qualities that have clearly appealed to the team’s management.
Backed by significant Latin American sponsorship Colapinto has spent recent weeks participating in TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) sessions with Alpine, fueling speculation that Jack Doohan replacement is imminent.
Recenty, CEO of Argentinian energy giant YPF Horacio Marin was quoted in a TV interview saying Colapinto is set to take the seat in Imola but Alpine F1 later clarified it was only wishful thinking.
“I think it was a sponsor from Argentina off-camera giving his view on Franco when he’s going to be in the car,” team principal Oliver Oakes told reporters at the Miami Grand Prix. “I’m sure there’s a lot of people in Argentina who’d like him in the car this Sunday.
“We’ve been pretty open as a team that that’s just noise. Jack needs to continue doing a good job. But it’s natural that there’s always speculation there.”
When asked if Doohan will be in the car in Imola, Oakes said that he remains the team’s driver but added that the team is “always evaluating” its lineup.
“Yeah, as it is today, Jack is our driver along with Pierre,” he said. “We’ve been pretty clear on that. We always evaluate, but yeah – today, that is the case.”
Behind the scenes, the decision appears to have been made swiftly following Doohan’s latest disappointment in Miami, marking one of the most abrupt mid-season driver changes in recent Formula 1 history.
