Flavio Briatore confirms whether Franco Colapinto will replace Jack Doohan after Miami Grand Prix retirement

Alpine haven’t had the strongest start to the 2025 Formula 1 season, but there’s been one story bubbling under the surface since the summer break.

Pierre Gasly was joined by Australian rookie Jack Doohan for last season’s finale after Alpine decided to replace Esteban Ocon ahead of his move to Haas.

Doohan was never in contention to score points that day but was at a severe disadvantage compared to the other 19 drivers who had a lot more experience.

That’s apart from one other driver who was also placed in a car halfway through the season: Franco Colapinto.

Colapinto raced nine times for Williams and did enough to convince Alpine to sign him over the winter break after Doohan had already been confirmed as Ocon’s permanent replacement.

However, it’s not been the start to the 2025 season that Doohan or Alpine would have hoped for.

Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, they sat ninth in the constructors’ championship only ahead of Sauber.

Executive advisor Flavio Briatore doesn’t normally settle for results like that, and that could lead to a potential driver change sooner rather than later.

READ MORE: Who is Alpine’s F1 executive adviser Flavio Briatore? Everything to know

Flavio Briatore confirms Franco Colapinto’s Alpine role after the Miami Grand Prix

Doohan is expected to have until the summer break to prove to Alpine that he deserves a longer stay in Formula 1.

Team principal Oliver Oakes is a big supporter of Doohan’s, but rumours have once again sprung up that a change could happen at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

One of Colapinto’s sponsors suggested he could be racing in Imola, and in an interview with ESPN SportsCenter ahead of the race in Miami, this was put to Briatore.

Briatore was asked if Colapinto would be driving for Alpine in Imola and he simply said, “[He’s our] reserve driver, reserve, reserve, reserve.”

The veteran Italian couldn’t have been more clear that a change wasn’t on the cards, but that was before events unfolded in Miami.

READ MORE: Who is Alpine reserve driver Franco Colapinto? Everything to know

Jack Doohan proved his worth to Alpine before the Miami Grand Prix

Although Doohan is yet to score a point for Alpine, it’s not been as negative as many have suggested.

His big crashes in Melbourne and Suzuka have put the spotlight on him, and while Alpine haven’t come out and categorically suggested that Doohan will be in the car for the foreseeable future, Oakes has been positive about the 22-year-old.

In Miami, Doohan was furious that he didn’t get to start his final run in Sprint qualifying and failed to make any progress in Saturday’s race.

However, Doohan outqualified Gasly for the Miami Grand Prix, although he will be slightly disappointed that Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto managed to get the better of him in Q2.

Things went from bad to worse for Doohan who was eliminated on the opening lap of the race in Miami after making contact with Liam Lawson.

Ultimately, Doohan needs to maximise his performances over race weekends to convince Alpine that he’s the man for the job, otherwise, the pressure will only continue to build even if an immediate switch isn’t on the cards.