Alpine have provided one ‘telling’ suggestion that Jack Doohan could replace Franco Colapinto later this season

Jack Doohan became the second driver in 2025 to lose his F1 seat, as Franco Colapinto replaced him at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

The Aussie only raced seven Grands Prix for Alpine, debuting in Abu Dhabi in 2024. Former boss Marcin Budkowski thinks Doohan was announced too early, as he walked into a high-pressure situation.

Rumours began to swirl after Doohan’s debut that Franco Colapinto would replace him at some point, after signing a long-term contract with Alpine from Williams. Speculation persisted in 2025, as the Aussie struggled to perform.

The 22-year-old could not string together race weekends as he failed to score points in the opening six races. Doohan cost Alpine over £1m in damages, with heavy crashes in Melbourne and Suzuka hampering his season.

After Oliver Oakes resigned as team principal before the Emilia Romagna GP, Doohan was demoted back to a reserve role, although the two exits are not related. Flavio Briatore has put Colapinto into the A525 for at least the next five races.

Doohan told his trainer they will be back in a defiant post on social media. Alpine seemed to not rule that out as he remains a key part of the Enstone outfit’s operation.

Alpine’s ‘telling’ statement on Jack Doohan’s ‘rotational’ role suggests he could replace Franco Colapinto later this season

The 22-year-old was present during the weekend at Imola, albeit Doohan was kept away from the Alpine hospitality. He watched on as Colapinto crashed in Q1 and finished a disappointing P16 in the race.

Cameras captured a telling reaction from Doohan to the Argentine’s crash on Saturday. He will certainly be looking for an opportunity to get his seat back as Colapinto faces pressure to stay in the car beyond his five-race deal.

Speaking on ESPN’s Unlapped, journalist Nate Saunders talked up Doohan’s chances of an F1 return. Alpine’s ‘telling’ press release of the driver swap suggested that there is a ‘mindset’ that the Aussie could be put back in the A525 at some point.

Asked if there was a chance Doohan returns, he said: “I think there’s got to be, right? Because he’s still reserve driver. If they had cut him completely, you could quite safely say: ‘Look, he’s probably done in Formula 1’.

“And they obviously gave him that seat last year. He has a head-to-head test with Mick Schumacher and that’s what prompted him to get that drive. That was really before Colapinto was on anyone’s radar.

“So I think that there is still a belief that Doohan can do a job for Alpine in some capacity. I think that’s telling.

“The fact that word ‘rotation’ was used, wasn’t it, in the press release? That was the one with the first-race thing but it still said rotational basis, which did suggest that there’s either a mindset to put Doohan back in, or a world where he does get back into the car.

“The fact that he’s at races as well, he’s still around the operation etc. I think there is still a world he gets back in.”

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What do people at Alpine think about Jack Doohan’s chances of returning to F1?

Alpine’s situation is complex, as no one currently knows what will happen after Colapinto’s five-race deal is up at the British Grand Prix. In the meantime, Doohan will provide vital data in the simulator for the Argentine and Pierre Gasly as he waits for another chance to prove himself in F1.

Doohan’s contract could ‘force’ Alpine to give his seat back, as it is believed to be stronger than previously thought. The Enstone outfit also have other options to consider if Colapinto fails to perform.

Briatore is lining up Paul Aron to replace Colapinto if he does not get the results in the next four races. Doohan will hope he is in consideration if Alpine are to swap drivers again.

However, the team is not optimistic. ‘Hardly anyone’ at Alpine thinks Doohan will return to F1; he will have to show strong signs of improvement to get back on the grid this year.