Franco Colapinto to drive for Alpine in the next five rounds as Jack Doohan takes a break

Franco Colapinto will partner Pierre Gasly at the BWT Alpine Formula One Team for the next five races of the 2025 Formula 1 season, beginning with the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The move comes after Alpine chose to switch their driver line-up to gauge performance more closely. Jack Doohan, who embarked on his initial full-time programme this season, will be assigned to reserve roles after a harsh beginning to the year that included the Lap 1 retirement at Miami. Alpine confirmed the switch of their second seat in a statement on Wednesday, announcing that Franco Colapinto will replace Jack Doohan for five consecutive rounds of racing. The 21-year-old Argentine driver will start alongside Pierre Gasly from Imola to Silverstone, where the line-up is set to be reassessed again. The decision comes just days after Alpine's Team Principal, Oliver Oakes, stepped down with immediate effect, leading Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore to take charge and run the team operations. The reorganisation marks a larger review period for the Enstone-based team, which has exhibited moments of competitiveness but is inconsistent in delivery. Jack Doohan found it difficult to keep up with the pace of veteran teammate Pierre Gasly. His season has been plagued by mistakes, such as a big practice crash in Suzuka and the earlier-mentioned retirement in Miami. “I am very proud to have achieved my lifelong ambition to be a professional Formula 1 driver and I will forever be grateful to the team for helping me achieve this dream," Doohan said. "Obviously, this latest chapter is a tough one for me to take because, as a professional driver, naturally I want to be racing. That said, I appreciate the team’s trust and commitment. We have long-term goals as a team to achieve and I will continue to give my maximum efforts in any way I can to help achieve those. For now, I will keep my head down, keep working hard, watch with interest the next five races and keep chasing my own personal goals.”Colapinto, for his part, expressed gratitude for the opportunity and vowed to give his all during this intense mid-season stretch. “Firstly, I want to thank the team for giving me the opportunity to drive competitively for the next five races,” said Colapinto. “I will work hard with the team to prepare for the next race in Imola and the upcoming triple-header, which will no doubt be intense and a big challenge for everyone. Also read: “He can be proud of his journey”- Oscar Piastri shows support for fellow Aussie Jack Doohan Alpine is at present engaged in a close midfield struggle and is banking on a new point of view from Colapinto to stimulate the team's momentum. The final decision on who will team up with Pierre Gasly for the remainder of the season will be made before the British Grand Prix in July.