On paper, Jack Doohan should be pleased about making his F1 debut at Abu Dhabi this weekend. However, the circumstances surrounding Alpine’s 2025 driver pairing (and the lingering threat of Franco Colapinto) add an unpredictable dimension to the equation.
Alpine interested in Franco Colapinto despite giving Doohan Abu Dhabi debut
Formula 1 is a ruthless business, and few teams are better evidence of this than Alpine.
In just over two years, Fernando Alonso, Oscar Piastri and Esteban Ocon have all walked out of Enstone’s doors.
All three drivers had their grievances with Alpine as they departed, often due to mismanagement from the team’s upper management.
Ocon is the latest casualty at Alpine, with the Frenchman’s relationship with the team almost evaporating after his incident at the Monaco GP.
There were even rumours that Jack Doohan could replace the 28-year-old at the Canadian GP, before Alpine confirmed that no changes had been made.
Still, the decision to put Doohan in the car for Abu Dhabi is a reminder that Flavio Briatore has no issue with making controversial and unprecedented moves.
At face value, this news can be interpreted as a positive development for Doohan. With that said, the young Australian is still in an awkward position.
Alpine’s driver situation is difficult to assess
Not too long ago, Red Bull and Alpine were identified as two teams that were showing interest in Franco Colapinto.
Red Bull obviously dominated F1 news headlines in this regard, owing to their far superior machinery.
With that said, as reported by LWOS, Alpine’s interest in the 21-year-old has been strong for several months.
Executive advisor Flavio Briatore was seen in discussions with Franco Colapinto just last weekend at the Qatar GP.
This sighting largely validates the consensus that has prevailed in the paddock for some time – Alpine are in negotiations with the Colapinto camp.
Of course, Jack Doohan has a contract for 2025.
Partly because of this, understanding how the Argentine fits into the French squad’s plans is tricky. There has been some speculation that contract talks could be regarding a 2026 seat.
However, there is a chance that Briatore is willing to sign Franco Colapinto for next year’s campaign.
Why Jack Doohan is under some pressure
To be clear, this is still a relatively unlikely scenario. Doohan is still generally expected to race for the Enstone team next season.
Then again, Alpine have already proven with Esteban Ocon’s departure they are not afraid of making bold decisions.
In this context, Doohan will be under notable pressure this weekend in Abu Dhabi. He obviously won’t be expected to match Gasly in such unusual circumstances, but this doesn’t his performance is irrelevant.
Should the 21-year-old adjust quickly in an extremely competitive midfield, his position at Enstone heading into 2025 will be solidified.
On the other side of the coin, a shaky weekend could encourage Alpine to more actively pursue Franco Colapinto.
Not only has Colapinto shown great speed since joining F1, but he can bring huge commercial value to any team he joins.
As Flavio Briatore’s team look to position themselves for the 2026 regulations, the Argentine could tick all of their boxes.
None of this is to suggest that Doohan will struggle this weekend, nor is it to say he isn’t deserving of completing a full F1 campaign in 2025.
The key point to note heading into the season finale is that, as ever, nothing can be fully discounted in this sport.
