The driver lineups for the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship were recently finalized, with Sergio Perez departing Red Bull Racing and being replaced by Liam Lawson, as well as Isack Hadjar’s promotion to Racing Bulls alongside Yuki Tsunoda. Now the picture is complete, but just over two months before the new season begins, clouds are already looming over one of the drivers who will officially take to the grid on January 1.
Alpine has been experiencing weeks, even months, of upheaval and change. The arrival of new team principal Oliver Oakes and the return of Flavio Briatore have spearheaded a restructuring process that reduced the French team’s staff and, ultimately, saw the brand climb swiftly from last to sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
These successful moves have overturned decisions made months earlier by their predecessors, which could also impact next year’s driver lineup.
Jack Doohan will replace Esteban Ocon alongside the retained Pierre Gasly. For the Australian, it will be his debut season in Formula 1 after racing in the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the A524, standing in for the ousted Ocon. However, things might not be as straightforward. According to paddock rumors, Jack Doohan’s contract only guarantees him a spot for the first few races of the season.
This means he will have to prove himself during the initial phase of the 2025 Championship, under pressure to convince the team’s leadership to extend his tenure for the rest of the season to avoid being demoted to the role of reserve driver, which he held in 2024. It’s significant pressure for Doohan but also a potential opportunity for those left without a seat for the upcoming season.
The first among these is Franco Colapinto. The Argentine showed flashes of talent in the nine Grands Prix he contested with Williams in the latter part of the recently concluded season. However, due to certain market moves (such as Carlos Sainz joining Williams), he finds himself without a team and must now wait for potential openings to re-enter the Formula 1 grid.
Alpine’s situation might be a perfect opportunity for him, as the team has recently shown remarkable performance improvements. In recent days, former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya commented on Franco Colapinto, Jack Doohan, and the potential opportunity for the South American driver to return to the pinnacle of open-wheel motorsport.
“There’s a lot of talk about Franco Colapinto as a potential option for this seat, but it all depends on how Doohan performs. I’ve heard that Doohan has a guaranteed spot for a certain number of races, and if things don’t go well, they might look for another option.”
“Things in F1 are not black and white; they’re shades of gray. On one side, there’s Doohan, who has a contract and theoretically needs to perform well to stay. On the other, many speculate that Colapinto is the person who will replace Doohan.”
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