Despite flashes of pace, Jack Doohan is set to be replaced by Franco Colapinto at Alpine following a series of costly errors and sponsor-backed pressure.
Alpine appear set to replace Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto in a dramatic mid-season driver shake-up just six races into the 2025 Formula 1 season. The Australian’s future has been uncertain since Colapinto joined the team from Williams over the winter, and insiders now say the switch could be finalised before the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola from 16–18 May.
The move comes even as Doohan showed signs of improvement, outqualifying teammate Pierre Gasly for the first time this year in Miami and beating him in sprint qualifying in China. However, Doohan’s progress has been overshadowed by high-profile crashes and a string of incidents that have tested Alpine’s patience.
In Miami, Doohan retired on lap one following a collision with Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson. It was the latest in a series of missteps, including a heavy crash in the wet on the first lap of his home Grand Prix in Melbourne, and another at Suzuka where he failed to disengage his DRS before attacking Turn One — resulting in a violent off during practice.
Despite moments of genuine speed, Doohan has struggled to deliver consistent performances, and with Alpine under pressure to produce results in the ultra-competitive midfield, the decision to bring in Colapinto is seen as a bet on both potential and commercial value.
Colapinto, 21, is backed by a network of Latin American sponsors, which has helped ease his return to the grid. After replacing Logan Sargeant mid-season at Williams last year, the Argentine made a solid impression by scoring points in Azerbaijan and the US. Yet his record wasn’t spotless — a trio of crashes in Sao Paulo and Las Vegas raised questions about his composure under pressure.
Nevertheless, Alpine acted swiftly to sign Colapinto during the winter, triggering speculation about Doohan’s future. Now, that speculation appears to be turning into action.
While Alpine have declined to comment officially, sources suggest a deal is nearly complete. It’s understood that the team were always inclined to evaluate Doohan over the early races of the season, but his performance — particularly in race conditions — has not been enough to hold off Colapinto’s rise.
Williams boss James Vowles has confirmed the team hold an option to bring Colapinto back in future, but for now, he is set to continue his F1 career in blue — this time as a full-time Alpine driver.
As for Doohan, he is expected to remain within the Alpine structure in some capacity, with potential future test or reserve roles under discussion. His raw speed and technical feedback have been praised internally, but Alpine’s immediate priority is consistency and race-day execution — areas where Doohan has yet to deliver reliably.
The upcoming Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix may therefore mark a new chapter for both drivers — one stepping aside and another returning to seize the opportunity.
