Before even making his full-time F1 debut, Jack Doohan has been at the centre of persistent speculation. Alpine’s multi-year contract with Franco Colapinto, currently the team’s reserve driver, is seen as a direct threat to the Australian’s position.
It doesn’t help that Flavio Briatore has made no guarantees that Doohan will finish 2025 at Alpine.
Despite this, the 22-year-old makes clear his intention this year is to solidify himself at Team Enstone.
Doohan ready to fight for his place
Although rookies always face immense pressure, there are few who enter F1 in more uncertain circumstances than Jack Doohan.
Despite Alpine’s decision to offer him a 2025 contract last summer, there have been consistent reports about the French team evaluating alternatives.
Flavio Briatore, who oversees the team’s big decisions as Executive Advisor, made no secret of his negotiations with Colapinto.
Because of this, it was not entirely a surprise to see Alpine signing a long-term contract with the Argentine.
The agreement signed last month, which is understood to be a five-year deal, means that Colapinto is almost certainly going to become a full-time driver.
This puts Doohan in a hugely uncomfortable position, with his prospects in the sport under immediate threat.
On the opposite side of the garage, Pierre Gasly still has a few years left on his contract. Because of this, Colapinto’s F1 arrival will likely be at Doohan’s expense.
For obvious reasons, such an unforgiving dynamic is difficult for any driver – let alone a rookie – to stomach.
Still, well aware of these reports, the Australian has no intention of giving up his place easily:
“I’m very motivated. I look forward, to be honest, to getting on track,” he told Sky Sports.
“And doing the work with my hands and my feet, steering that car as much as I can.
“For sure it’s super special [to join F1]. I’ve been watching these guys since I was a little boy, especially Lewis [Hamilton].
“So to be coming in to be one of the 20 drivers on the grid is super special – and I look forward to cementing my place here for the future.”
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Nothing is certain at Alpine
The last two years have seen significant change at Alpine. A combination of team principal changes and surprise driver swaps make it difficult to predict their medium-term trajectory.
Flavio Briatore is perfectly happy to make bold changes, irrespective of public reaction of backlash.
Esteban Ocon’s abrupt departure from Enstone, with Doohan replacing him in Abu Dhabi, is fresh evidence of Briatore’s cut-throat approach.
The decision to move from Renault to Mercedes power for 2026, though anticipated for some time, is a reminder of the team’s willingness to reinvent itself.
Like most teams across the field, Alpine see the 2026 regulations as a chance to rapidly climb the grid.
Briatore has already outlined that winning races is the target for 2027. This goal is not a massive departure from the infamous ‘five year plans’ that habitually came out from Alpine.
Only time will tell if the French outfit succeed in returning to the front of Formula 1.
