The season has reached a critical point where speculation about Jack Doohan’s future at Alpine has intensified.
Since the start of the F1 2025 pre-season, rumors have suggested that the Australian driver was only guaranteed a seat for the initial six races. According to PlanetF1.com, the driver lineup will be evaluated closely before the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in two weeks.
Challenging Weekend for Jack Doohan in Miami
Miami marked the sixth and potentially final race of Doohan’s supposed safety net. Despite a strong qualifying performance, the weekend proved challenging for him. He out-qualified teammate Pierre Gasly for the first time but started 14th and was forced to retire on the first lap after colliding with Liam Lawson at Turn 1, damaging his car significantly.
This marked his second retirement from the first lap within the six races, following an earlier crash at his home Grand Prix in Albert Park. “I felt squeezed into Turn 1,” he reported to the media. “It was unavoidable contact, and while it’s frustrating, I couldn’t do much to change the outcome.”
After the race, Alpine canceled team principal Oliver Oakes’ scheduled media session, citing a change in travel plans, similar to actions taken in Japan. Post six races, Doohan remains one of four drivers yet to score points, and it’s worth noting that Alpine has only scored once in ten race starts, with Gasly finishing seventh in Bahrain.
Speculation Surrounding Doohan’s Seat
Alpine has remained tight-lipped regarding Doohan’s contract status and has not outright denied that he could be replaced this season. Possible replacements include reserve drivers Franco Colapinto and Paul Aron. Recently, Aron posted a cryptic photo in the garage with the caption “Soon,” but it was deleted soon after due to an incorrect caption.
As every team must provide rookie drivers with four practice sessions, Aron is likely to participate in an FP1 session for Alpine soon. Meanwhile, Colapinto has already participated in too many race weekends to fulfill this requirement. Oakes addressed rumors about Doohan’s seat during a recent FIA press conference, reiterating, “As of today, Jack is our driver along with Pierre.”
The speculation has lingered for nearly six months, sparked by former team principal Flavio Briatore’s interest in Colapinto, who had shown promise while substituting for Logan Sargeant at Williams. Although Doohan was initially secured as a race driver, Colapinto later joined Alpine as a reserve on a five-year contract.
Frustrations appeared to mount for Doohan during the Miami weekend, particularly due to a team error that hampered his qualifying performance. He expressed his displeasure over team radio, saying, “That’s not acceptable.” Looking ahead to the Imola Grand Prix in two weeks, Doohan plans to spend the week at the factory, focusing on simulation work to prepare for the next races.
