Franco Colapinto will step into the Alpine F1 car for at least the next five Grands Prix, replacing Jack Doohan alongside Pierre Gasly. The decision was confirmed by Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore on Wednesday, as he prepares to officially take over as team principal following the resignation of Ollie Oakes.
Colapinto returns to the F1 grid in new colours, having raced nine times for Williams in 2024 as a stand-in for Logan Sargeant. During his stint with the British team, the Argentine scored five points, including an impressive eighth-place finish in Azerbaijan. He also made history by becoming the first Argentine to race in Formula 1 in 23 years and the second for Williams after Carlos Reutemann.
Now signed as Alpine’s reserve driver for the 2025 season, Colapinto gets an early chance to prove himself once more at the top level of motorsport.
“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,” said Doohan, who remains part of Alpine’s driver programme. Briatore added: “We continue to support Jack at the team… The next five races will give us an opportunity to try something different, and after this time period we will assess our options.”
Yet the decision raises eyebrows. Doohan, still a rookie, showed promise and professionalism in difficult circumstances. In a sport known for its brutal competitiveness, one must ask, ‘Are teams now expecting too much, too quickly from young drivers? Even Red Bull only gave Liam Lawson two races. Perhaps the pressure on rookies has become too intense in modern Formula 1.
