Alpine F1 team considers immediate Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto switch
Doohan's disappointing run of results and incidents have moved Alpine's management to seriously consider whether it should make a driver change immediately rather than hand the Australian rookie more time to make the seat his own.
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Doohan endured a frustrating rookie campaign thus far, showing flashes of one-lap pace that suggests he could do enough to hold down his seat and even outqualifying Pierre Gasly at last weekend's Miami Grand Prix. However, summing up the Australian's season so far, Doohan got involved in a Turn 1 tangle with Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson, which ended his race on the spot.
Neither driver was wholly to blame for what was deemed a racing incident, but it added to the growing list of on-track issues – including a huge crash in Suzuka practice – which hampered Doohan's campaign, and with it, Alpine's too.
The French team has a 2025 car with potential, as evidenced by Gasly's excellent seventh place at the Bahrain Grand Prix. But other than a Miami sprint race point for Gasly due to three time penalties for his rivals, this was Alpine's only points finish this year.
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
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In contrast, a ferocious midfield battle saw Williams lead the charge in fifth followed by Haas. Alpine is a disappointing ninth in the standings ahead of only Sauber, which may well force the Enstone squad to reconsider its options.
Ever since 2024 Williams reserve Colapinto was signed by Alpine over the off-season, rumours swirled over Doohan's longevity with the Enstone squad, noise that Alpine admitted was partly of its own making.
That pressure has only ramped up in recent weeks, with the CEO of Argentinian energy giant YPF Horacio Marin caught saying Colapinto would be in the car "in Imola" after a TV interview, later clarifying it was only wishful thinking on his behalf.
Speaking ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes said: "I think it was a sponsor from Argentina off-camera giving his view on Franco, when he's going to be in the car. 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.
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When pressed for a black and white answer on whether Doohan will remain in the car in two weeks in Imola, Oakes said Doohan was the team's driver "as it is today," leaving wiggle room for interpretation before adding the team is "always evaluating" its line-up.
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"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."
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Logistically, making a decision before Imola would make sense as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on 18 May forms the first race in a triple-header that includes Monaco and Barcelona. But Motorsport.com understands that timing is not a factor in Alpine's decision.
In any case, Colapinto is well prepared to step in at short notice as part of his reserve duties with a mixture of simulation work and private testing, and it is worth pointing out that the Argentinian made his F1 debut last year in the middle of a Zandvoort-Monza double-header.
Colapinto caused an immediate impact on his nine-race Williams cameo replacing Logan Sargeant, scoring points in Baku and Austin, which led to a brief spell of interest from Red Bull. But the Argentinian's inexperience also showed in violent crashes in Las Vegas and Brazil, which put Red Bull off his scent before Alpine swooped in over the off-season to add the 21-year-old to its roster of reserve drivers.
Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore, who runs the team alongside Oakes, is reported to be keen on giving Colapinto a chance sooner rather than later. The Argentinian also enjoys considerable backing from his supportive home country, with sponsor Mercado Libre already following him from Williams to Alpine.
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