The 2025 Formula 1 season doesn’t start for more than two months, but already the driver’s market has jumped back into action.
Flavio Briatore has a reputation within F1 for always looking for the best deal and hasn’t been resting on his laurels during the winter break.
Alpine have already shared images that show the team are already hard at work on next season’s 2026 car where F1’s regulations will drastically change.
While the Anglo-French team are unlikely to abandon this season completely, they’ll have one eye on the following year when they’ll hope to be more competitive after a disappointing campaign in 2024.
They started the year as the slowest team in the paddock, although Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon’s double podium in Sao Paulo catapulted the team to sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.
For 2025, Gasly was retained but Ocon decided to join Haas, meaning Alpine had to find a replacement and decided to promote Jack Doohan from their academy.
Doohan had a difficult debut in Abu Dhabi but could look forward to starting life properly in F1 this year.
However, a report from the Argentine publication Ole, supported by further reporting from The Race, suggests that Doohan might be under more pressure than many expected.
Jack Doohan’s 2025 Alpine contract only runs for six races ahead of Franco Colapinto signing
The report from Ole says that according to their information, Doohan’s contract only guarantees him a race seat for the first six races of the 2025 campaign.
That means the 21-year-old has to prove himself at his home race in Melbourne, China, Japan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Miami.
READ MORE: Who is Alpine F1 driver Jack Doohan? All to know from his girlfriend to dad
If his performance isn’t up to scratch, then Alpine will be able to replace him which is where Franco Colapinto comes into the equation.
Both Ole and The Race believe Colapinto is on the verge of signing for Alpine and an announcement could arrive as early as Thursday.
It would be a bitter blow for Doohan who wouldn’t have seen new reserve driver Paul Aron as a serious threat despite his close relationship with Oliver Oakes based on their time together at F2 outfit Hitech.
Franco Colapinto set to this season Liam Lawson in the F1 paddock
Red Bull were previously interested in Colapinto and the Argentine’s representatives met with them and Alpine during the 2024 season when he quickly rose to prominence at Williams.
However, they decided against a move after the youngster had several crashes during the Las Vegas and Sao Paulo race weekends.
He also fell behind teammate Alex Albon during the final races of the season having initially matched him on several occasions.
READ MORE: Who is Williams academy driver Franco Colapinto? Everything to know
While Red Bull walked away from a deal – instead promoting Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar respectively after dismissing Sergio Perez – Alpine never stepped away from the negotiating table.
The Race admits it’s currently ‘unclear’ if Colapinto will join Alpine on loan or a permanent deal.
Williams previously wanted £20m to let Colapinto leave, but a figure hasn’t been published for this upcoming deal.
Last season, whenever a Red Bull or RB driver made a mistake, the camera quickly cut to reserve driver Lawson who was itching to get back into an F1 race car.
Doohan now knows that during those first six race weekends, any time he makes an error, Colapinto will be getting the same treatment in the paddock.
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