Alpine Replaces Doohan With Colapinto for Five Races, Imola Debut Follows Oakes Resignation

Alpine F1 Team officially announced on May 7, 2025, that Argentine driver Franco Colapinto will replace Australian Jack Doohan as the team's race driver for the next five Formula 1 Grands Prix, beginning with Colapinto's debut for Alpine at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola on May 18, 2025. Colapinto, who previously raced for Williams, will partner French driver Pierre Gasly during this period. The decision follows Doohan's replacement after six races without scoring points, with Alpine citing technical reasons and the need for a tactical reassessment of its lineup. Doohan, aged 22, will remain as the team's first-choice reserve driver. Colapinto's contract currently covers five races: Imola, Monaco, Spain, Canada, and Austria. Alpine has stated it will evaluate Colapinto's performance before the British Grand Prix to determine the long-term driver lineup. The driver change coincides with significant leadership changes at Alpine, as team principal Oliver Oakes resigned shortly before the announcement. Flavio Briatore has assumed the role of executive advisor and interim team principal. Briatore emphasized the need to optimize team performance and stated, "Once these five races have passed, we will review our options." Alpine is ninth in the Constructors' Championship, with all points so far scored by Pierre Gasly. The team reaffirmed that Doohan remains an integral part of the organization despite the rotation.