Jack Doohan’s Formula 1 debut could be in trouble after reports suggested that Alpine may be competing with Red Bull for Williams’ rookie Franco Colapinto for a full-time seat in 2025.
Doohan, who has been Alpine’s reserve driver this year, was expected to make his F1 debut next season as Pierre Gasly’s teammate.
When Doohan was confirmed in August, he expressed excitement and gratitude for the opportunity: “I am so happy to secure promotion into a full-time race seat in 2025 with Alpine F1 Team. I am very grateful for the trust and belief by the team’s senior management.”
However, recent reports have raised doubts about his place in the team, with speculation that he could lose out to Colapinto, who has impressed since replacing Logan Sargeant at the Italian Grand Prix.
Colapinto, 21, has made a strong impact, scoring five points in six races, which is much more than the single point Sargeant managed over 36 races.
Although he joined the grid too late to secure a race seat at Williams for 2025, having Carlos Sainz confirmed as Alex Albon’s teammate, Colapinto’s strong performances have caught the attention of other teams.
Red Bull is reportedly considering signing Colapinto for their junior team, VCARB, if they decide to drop Sergio Perez and promote Liam Lawson to partner Max Verstappen. But Alpine is also showing interest in the Argentine driver, creating a surprising twist in the driver market.
According to Italian publication *Gazzetta dello Sport*, Alpine’s executive advisor, Flavio Briatore, has changed his mind and is now keen on signing Colapinto to join Gasly at Alpine.
The report claims that if this happens, it would end Doohan’s chances of a race seat, as Alpine would prefer to sign Colapinto to a long-term deal, especially since Gasly already has a long-term contract with the team.
Alpine has not yet commented on these reports. If Colapinto were to join Alpine, Doohan would likely stay on as their reserve driver for 2025, but his long-term future with the team is uncertain given the presence of Gasly and the potential signing of Colapinto.
Should either Alpine or Red Bull move forward with signing Colapinto, Williams is reportedly asking for a €20 million fee for the young driver, which could make the deal a costly one for any team pursuing him.
