Alpine appear poised to make a mid-season driver change just six races into the 2025 Formula 1 calendar, with Jack Doohan set to lose his seat after the Miami Grand Prix.
Doohan was given the nod for a full-time F1 seat in 2025 after beating Mick Schumacher in a shootout to replace Esteban Ocon, but his tenure appears short-lived. Despite flashes of promise — including outqualifying teammate Pierre Gasly in Miami — the 21-year-old has been unable to deliver consistent results.
He’s yet to score a point this season, and a series of crashes, including one in Japan and another incident with Liam Lawson on Lap 1 in Miami, haven’t helped his case.
According to a report from The Race, the team informed the Australian before leaving Florida that he would not be driving at the upcoming Emilia Romagna GP in Imola. The expected replacement? Argentine driver Franco Colapinto, who has been heavily involved with Alpine in a reserve role since the start of the year.
Colapinto steps up amid growing sponsor pressure
While Doohan’s mixed form has contributed to the decision, commercial considerations may have accelerated the change. Franco Colapinto impressed during late-2024 outings with Williams, and his arrival at Alpine as a test and reserve driver in the offseason was accompanied by increased sponsor interest.
The addition of Argentine backers like YPF and Mercado Libre — both financially linked to Colapinto — strengthened his case internally. Alpine had to pay a transfer fee to Williams to secure Colapinto’s services.
More from the Singapore GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
Since then, he has spent extensive time in the simulator and completed multiple test sessions in the A523, putting himself in prime position to take over from Doohan. The switch was inadvertently leaked last week when YPF CEO Horacio Marin told Argentine TV that Colapinto would race in Imola, a statement Alpine did not deny outright.
In Miami, Team Principal Oliver Oakes was noticeably cautious when asked about the potential driver change for Alpine: “As things stand today, Doohan will be our driver alongside Pierre”.
Though Doohan has shown encouraging pace at times, including strong runs in China and a solid qualifying performance in Miami, his accumulation of four penalty points and inconsistent racecraft appear to have sealed his fate. The Miami DNF, where he was eliminated in a first-corner clash with Lawson, was likely the final nail in the coffin — even though Doohan was not at fault for the contact.
If the change is confirmed, Colapinto would make his full Grand Prix debut at Imola — a landmark moment for Argentine motorsport and a potentially major shift in Alpine’s trajectory for 2025.
