Jack Doohan has returned to a reserve driver role for Alpine after being replaced by Franco Colapinto, who takes over ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
F1 stages its first round of the season on European soil this weekend in Italy with what could also mark the last edition of the Emilia Romagna GP. But as one chapter possibly prepares to close with Imola’s contract expiring, another starts as Colapinto records his debut for Alpine.
Alpine have confirmed Colapinto for the next five rounds after pulling the plug on Doohan in light of his underwhelming rookie results. The Australian is one of four drivers still without a point in the 2025 F1 season, whilst teammate Pierre Gasly has sealed all seven of the team’s.
Jack Doohan’s contract could see him ‘force’ Alpine to hand Franco Colapinto’s seat back
Colapinto is only guaranteed to race for Alpine across the Emilia Romagna, Monaco, Spanish, Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix as the Enstone squad have confirmed they will conduct a new evaluation process before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone to fix their future line-up.
And according to Auto Action, Colapinto’s five-round stint as an Alpine F1 driver may also be due to Doohan’s contract being ‘stronger than initially thought’. His deal can potentially give Doohan and his backers the means to ‘force’ Alpine to put the 22-year-old back in the A525.
READ MORE: Who is Alpine 2025 F1 driver Franco Colapinto? Everything you need to know
Doohan may also gain a further advantage as Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore is now wary of Colapinto’s backer, Mercado Libre. He is frustrated that the Argentine e-commerce company has only paid enough of their deal to cover Colapinto’s seat until the Austrian GP.
So, while Alpine will use the next five rounds to judge Colapinto’s results, Doohan may have some cards up his sleeve to see the Gold Coast native return as soon as Silverstone. It could leave the Enstone outfit in a tricky spot after Alpine paid Williams £8.5m to sign Colapinto.
Flavio Briatore could drop Franco Colapinto unless his sponsor pays Alpine what it owes
Colapinto initially joined Alpine as a reserve driver to fill Doohan’s void given the 21-year-old faced a closed shop at Williams with Carlos Sainz joining Alex Albon. The Grove outfit’s team principal James Vowles accepted that Alpine gave Colapinto a better path to a race seat, too.
READ MORE: Who is Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan? All to know from girlfriend to dad
But while Vowles’ prediction has come true before only the seventh round of the 2025 term, Doohan’s contract and Briatore’s frustrations with Mercado Libre could deprive Colapinto of his seat at Alpine. They will likely switch roles unless Mercado Libre pays its next instalment.
Doohan might have to hope Mercado Libre defaults on its deal with Alpine more so than his own contract to replace Colapinto from the British GP, though. It is also said that Alpine only want Colapinto to perform OK in the next five rounds to prove he deserves to keep the drive.
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