Alpine considering driver change with immediate effect
05/05/2025 02:45
Alpine looks increasingly likely to switch Franco Colapinto in for Jack Doohan at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in two weeks' time. RacingNews365 understands the decision is close to being finalised after the Australian suffered another ultimately disappointing weekend at the Miami Grand Prix. It comes less than a week after a sponsor of Colapinto's suggested he would "debut" for Team Enstone at Imola in a hot mic gaffe that was subsequently walked back . Doohan's round at the Miami International Autodrome was a microcosm of the 22-year-old's season thus far. He showed strong pace across one lap, out-qualifying team-mate Pierre Gasly for the first time to start the race from P14. However, contact with Liam Lawson in the first corner consigned him to a second first lap retirement in six events, after his first lap crash at his home grand prix in Melbourne. Following that, he endured a messy weekend in China, picking up penalties in both the sprint and grand prix at the Shanghai International Circuit. The most high-profile moment, however, was his heavy shunt during practice for the Japanese Grand Prix after leaving DRS engaged heading into the high-speed first corner, a mistake Alpine publicly placed at Doohan's feet. On Friday evening in Florida, he could not stifle his frustration after Alpine contributed to him getting knocked out of SQ1, lamenting the course of events as "not acceptable" and a "joke" over team radio . He is one of only four drivers not to score a point so far this year, joined by: Fernando Alonso, Gabriel Bortoleto and Lawson. As brutal as a driver change just six rounds into the season is, it does not come as a surprise. The move falls in life with the persistently-denied rumour Doohan had only five or six rounds to impress at Alpine, with Miami being the sixth. There has also been rampant speculation about a swap between the two drivers since before the campaign got underway - and before Colapinto had even signed for Alpine from Williams. In recent weeks, it had appeared Doohan would be given until the summer to prove himself, but that may now not be the case. Team principal Oli Oakes did not conduct a media session on Sunday evening in Miami as he usually does.
