Franco Colapinto's role as Alpine reserve driver for 2025 may signal the end of Jack Doohan's F1 journey with the team.
Lewis Hamilton won’t be the only one happy about some more developments in the Formula 1 driver market. The 2025 grid was finally completed on December 20 when Racing Bulls named Isack Hadjar as their second driver. With 20 out of 20 spots confirmed, it looked like the so-called ‘silly season’ was over for a while, but that isn’t to be the case. Franco Colapinto has signed as Alpine’s reserve driver for the new campaign, and that might spell bad news for rookie Jack Doohan .
With Argentine Colapinto impressing in his nine races for Williams last season his choice of role was clearly inspired with Doohan not possessing the best of junior records. and others, it’s been revealed that the Australian only has a contract for the first six races of the 2025 campaign. That means that should he fail to impress, Colapinto could easily jump back into F1 during the year, something which ruthless advisor Flavio Briatore has as good as confirmed. “We will start the year with Pierre (Gasly) and Jack, I can guarantee you that,' Briatore told Le Parisien. “Then we will see during the season. Who is Angela Cullen? Key Lewis Hamilton ally sparks wild speculation ahead of F1 season. She's the best thing that ever happened to me' - Hamilton reunion could boost title hopes “I have to put the team in a position to achieve results. The drivers are responsible for finishing the work of around 1000 people behind them. They all work for just two people. “If a driver doesn't deliver results, doesn't progress, he will be replaced. You can't be emotional in. “It took a long time because negotiations are sometimes complex, as in this case. But Flavio was always very persistent and in the last few weeks he was very intense,” she said. “The agreement came about because both parties got what they wanted – Flavio was able to sign Franco and James was able to give him the chance to race, because at Williams their regular drivers are on long-term contracts.” She added: “Briatore has seen Franco since he made his F1 debut. The day we first chatted he said: ‘I’ve seen talent and I want him.’ “He followed all the races closely and how he evolved as an F1 driver in the nine Grands Prix he was able to race.”“I understand that, if another team appears interested in Franco, within that period, I guess it would be a negotiation between Alpine and the other team.” Should it come to fruition that Colapinto returns, plenty of the grid will be happy, having backed him throughout the second half of the 2024 season., who said: “I think he’s done an incredible job. To be called upon at the last minute and be thrown into the deep end in this sport.“It’s always great to see young people and talented individuals get the opportunity to come through and shine and I think he did that in the first race, we had a great little battle and it was super safe, it was hard but fair and I think he’s earned his right to be here. “There’s still a seat available and he’s saying it’s not for him to decide, but my advice would be to make sure that he’s… I’ll be pushing on my side to make sure he’s doing absolutely everything. “At the end of the day he’s just got to focus on doing his job every weekend and he’s got good people behind him who are doing the right job to make sure that he’s here to race next year.”And even he alluded to the driver potentially replacing Doohan in a statement where he said: “We believe this agreement with Alpine represents Franco's best chance of securing a race seat in 2025 or 2026.”Doohan, the son of legendary motorbike world champion Mick, has one F1 race under his belt, completing the 2024 Abu Dhabi season finale in 15th. With only one classified driver behind him and teammate Gasly up in seventh, it wasn’t a good look for the 21-year-old who knew the circuit well from his junior career. And Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko didn’t help matters either, commenting on the rival driver by saying: 'He should have done more.”Having impressed so much that Red Bull were reportedly in talks over his signature, Colapinto did finish the campaign with three retirements in four races, seemingly sealing his fate for 2025 - that is until this week’s developments
Alpinereserve DRIVER COLAPINTO DOOHAN FORMULA 1 DRIVERMARKET
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Colapinto as Alpine Backup if Doohan FaltersRumors suggest Argentine driver Franco Colapinto could be Alpine's reserve plan in 2025 if Jack Doohan doesn't perform well. Colapinto impressed last year with Williams, but his current contract with the team keeps him out of the driver lineup for 2025.
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