Jack Doohan’s Alpine Seat Already Threatened Thanks To “Controversial” Contract

• By all accounts, ex-Williams rookie Franco Colapinto is en route to replace Australia’s own Jack Doohan at Alpine (Renault).
• Colapinto has signed a multi-year deal with the Enstone team, albeit as a test and reserve driver at this stage; whereas Doohan’s agreement reportedly spans five to six race weekends.
• Alpine also has the far less experienced Ryo Hirakawa and Paul Aron in its stable of test and reserve drivers.

Formula 1 is, at the best of times, a ruthless ecosystem where your immediate replacement (along with your replacement’s replacement) is always waiting in the wings — a consequence of having just 20 full-time seats across 10 race outfits in the entire motorsport.

This is why after a single inconsequential race as Esteban Ocon’s replacement, Jack Doohan already has a target on his back.

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This past week, Alpine eagerly signed the Australian’s potential successor in Argentinian phenom Franco Colapinto, who dazzled as Logan Sargeant’s replacement at Williams Racing during the latter half of 2024; recording two points finishes and brazenly knocking at the door of a Top 10 result on three other occasions… in what was widely considered backmarker machinery, no less.

While the hard-battling Colapinto only joins Alpine as a test and reserve driver, the contrasting structures in his and Doohan’s respective deals are rather telling.

Where the former has inked a multi-year contract with the Enstone-based team, reports indicate the latter has a limited agreement that guarantees him a precarious five to six race weekends. Reading between the lines, there are clearly performance clauses allowing for a mid-season shuffle should Doohan fail to meet expectations.

“We’ll start the year with [Pierre Gasly] and Jack, I can guarantee that. After that, we’ll see as the season progresses,” Renault executive Flavio Briatore — who famously has three constructor championships and four driver championships to own his name — told Le Parisien.

“I have to get the team in the right condition to get results and the driver is the one who has to conclude the work of nearly 1,000 people behind him. Everyone works for just two people.”

“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.”

Briatore continued: “Clearly, Franco is among the best young talents in motorsport right now. It is fair to say his appearance on the Formula 1 grid last year caught many, me included, by surprise and his performances have been very impressive for a rookie driver.”

“We have an eye on our future and his signing means we have a great pool of young drivers to call upon and work with in developing the team for future success.”

The writing is so clearly on the wall, in fact, that even Franco Colapinto’s former team principal has outwardly stated this is his most direct pathway back to full-time F1 piloting; Williams to compete with a “formidable driver line-up” of Red Bull Academy products Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz this year.

“We believe this agreement with Alpine represents Franco’s best chance of securing a race seat in 2025 or 2026,” James Vowles said of releasing Colapinto from his Williams Racing contract to make way for the Alpine recruitment.

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“We are proud to have returned Argentina to the F1 grid, want to thank Franco for everything he has brought to the team and look forward to future battles on track.”

Now more than ever, all eyes are on Jack Doohan. As if living up to the reputation of racing royalty alone wasn’t already enough pressure.

The 2025 Formula 1 season officially kicks off on March 14th-16th with Melbourne restored as the opening race. In the event Doohan manages a points finish on home turf, not only will his job be protected — it’ll also make for a cracking story for the ages.