Jack Doohan got a deserved call-up to an F1 race seat by Alpine for the 2025 season. But the Aussie is already at risk of being dropped.
The chaos of the 2024 driver market saw 10 drivers transfers and six new full-time drivers join the grid for this season. But despite securing their driver line-up for 2025, Alpine have already dipped back into the market and made further plans for the future.
Paul Aron, Ryo Hirakawa and Franco Colapinto have all joined the Enstone-based outfit as reserve drivers for 2025 – the last of those names being the most interesting. The Argentine has joined the team on a multi-year deal from Williams.
Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore is a keen admirer of Colapinto from his impressive performances in 2024. And the ex-Benetton and Renault chief might be looking to get the 21-year-old into a full-time seat sooner than expected.
It has become common knowledge that Doohan is on a short-term contract with Alpine in 2025 and he could even be out of the team before the summer break.
Briatore posted on social media about Colapinto’s TPC tests with Alpine as he took to the track for the first time as their driver. But the Italian did not say anything about Doohan’s runs, which is quite telling about the Aussie’s future with the team.
Jack Doohan ‘did impress’ Alpine in behind the scenes testing
That is not to say that Alpine have not taken notice of the 22-year-old’s work with the team. Doohan completed secretive tests at Barcelona this week alongside Lewis Hamilton, teammate Charles Leclerc and McLaren – who were conducting Pirelli tyre tests for 2026.
And speaking on the ESPN UK YouTube channel, journalist Laurence Edmondson says they have been told that Alpine were impressed by Doohan’s efforts behind the scenes.
READ MORE: Who is Alpine F1 driver Jack Doohan? All to know from his girlfriend to dad
But with Colapinto lurking in the background to replace him, Edmondson highlighted that Doohan must ‘prove everyone wrong’ at his home race in Melbourne.
“I think the important thing we should hold onto with Doohan going into the season is that he did impress when he’s behind the scenes testing at Alpine, at least that’s what we’ve been told and what the team was thinking”, he said.
“That was almost before the Colapinto-mania took off. I mean Colapinto at stages did look really good.
“I think Doohan has to just go into the opening race, which is his home race, and just absolutely lay everything on the line and try and prove everyone wrong.
“Really hard position to be in, but he has to do that. But against Gasly, it’s going to be tough”.
What have other senior figures said about Jack Doohan’s situation at Alpine?
David Croft has made the case for Alpine to keep Doohan over Colapinto, stressing the former may be the team’s best option. However, it is hard to imagine the team wanting to keep the latter on the sidelines for too long, especially considering Colapinto cost Alpine £8.4m.
It is incredibly harsh on Doohan to be put at risk already after just one race in F1 (2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi). But Colapinto’s experience with Williams and commercial value with sponsorship and support from Argentina could be more beneficial for Alpine.
Williams boss James Vowles says Doohan deserves a chance to prove himself, but stressed the team do have Colapinto to put in the team if he struggles to deliver.
Alpine boss Oliver Oakes says Fernando Alonso is Doohan’s ‘reference’ for his rookie season. But considering the pressure he is already under, putting F1’s most experienced driver as the benchmark for Doohan may not help matters.
Doohan has been told to match teammate Pierre Gasly in 2025 to save his seat. But this will not be an easy feat either, given the Frenchman is well-established with Alpine and was one of the most in-form drivers come the end of 2024.
