Update: Colapinto close to Alpine role | Pressure on for rookie, Doohan?
Rumors
The F1 rumour mill was pushed into overdrive earlier today linking Franco Colapinto to a potential F1 role with Alpine. GPBlog understands that were Colapinto to join Alpine, he would not do so as a full time race driver.
Colapinto about to be announced as an Alpine talent?
Although there has been much noise surrounding the nature and length of Alpine's and Jack Doohan's committment as of late, GPBlog understands that if Colapinto were to come to Alpine, he would not do so as a full time driver for the team. Instead, Alpine's intentions are to strengthen their talent pool with an outlook to the future of the team, and in Colapinto they would be acquiring a somewhat F1 seasoned talent, with 9 Grand Prix under his belt.
What does this mean for Doohan?
Colapinto's involvement with Alpine seems close to being finalised prior to the start of the upcoming season. Doohan had a less than inspiring debut last time out in Abu Dhabi, but Luca de Meo's Executive Advisor for BWT Alpine F1 Team, Flavio Briatore has guaranteed the Australian will start the 2025 F1 season in Alpine colours.
However, the Italian is known to bite the bullet and make the tough decisions should the need arise, one needs only to look at Alpine's choice to run Mercedes engine as of 2026. "If there’s a driver who isn’t making progress, who isn’t bringing me results, I change him. You can’t be emotional in F1," the Italian was quoted by Le Parisien, in regards to Doohan's involvement with the team. It has also been rumoured that the Alpine junior has a clause in his contract which could bring the collaboration to a premature end, but as of now, Doohan's fate rests in his own hands.
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