Formula 1: Jack Doohan replacement already emerging for Alpine?

When Franco Colapinto was announced as Logan Sargeant’s replacement after the Dutch Grand Prix, it was clear he may not have been Williams' first choice. However, the Argentinian driver did a remarkable job to close out the 2024 Formula 1 season, and he drew lots of interest from other teams on the grid for a seat in 2025.

While teams such as Red Bull and Alpine were seriously considering Colapinto for a seat next season, interest quickly cooled down, as both teams stuck to their initial plans. The former dropped Sergio Perez and promoted Liam Lawson from RB, with junior driver Isack Hadjar likely to replace Lawson, while the latter had already signed Jack Doohan for 2025.

Williams team principal James Vowles seemingly did his best to get the 21-year-old on the grid in 2025, but that doesn't look like it's going to happen. A string of crashes from Colapinto gave teams some level of concern, given his lack of experience in Formula 1.

But Flavio Briatore, who returned to Alpine as an advisor earlier in the season, has his sights on Colapinto for 2026, given the fact that Doohan is only on a one-year deal.

Colapinto’s path to Alpine is clear

Despite rumors of Doohan being dropped in favor of Colapinto even before the 2025 season, it seems that the Australian is set to fulfill his contract, given the fact that he made his debut in Abu Dhabi a few weeks ago. But Colapinto now has a clear shot of driving for Alpine in 2026, as the general belief is that Doohan will not be on the grid beyond 2025.

Paul Aron was also recently signed as Alpine's reserve driver, so it could ultimately come down to whether Alpine want to give Colapinto a chance in Formula 1 over him.

One key thing to note is the fact that Briatore was seen with Colapinto and his agent during the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, a week before the season finale. There is still mutual interest, and the Alpine advisor could play a major role in deciding the team's future driver lineup.

The key impediment for Colapinto in 2025 may be the fact that his involvement on the grid will be at a bare minimum, with limited closed-door tests and maybe a couple of free practice sessions here and there. On the flip side, Doohan will be judged on actual race performances.

Nevertheless, Colapinto's performance, combined with Alpine’s interest, could propel him to a full-time seat with the Enstone-based team in 2026.