Following the resignation of team principal Oliver Oakes, the BWT Alpine Formula One Team have announced a change to their driver lineup, with reserve and test driver Franco Colapinto set to replace Jack Doohan.
Colapinto will team up with Pierre Gasly to form the main driver lineup of the French outfit. The 21-year-old will step in immediately from the upcoming Imola Grand Prix and compete in the next five races, after which the team will re-evaluate their situation ahead of the British Grand Prix. Doohan will remain with the team in the meantime as a reserve driver.
The Argentine racer made his F1 debut last year, replacing Logan Sargeant mid-season at Williams Racing. He scored his first points in Azerbaijan and Austin.
With Williams signing Carlos Sainz ahead of this season, Colapinto moved to Alpine as a reserve driver on a multi-year contract.
Speaking on the shake-up, Flavio Briatore, Alpine’s Executive Advisor, commented:
“Having reviewed the opening races of the season, we have come to the decision to put Franco in the car alongside Pierre for the next five races. With the field being so closely matched this year, and with a competitive car, which the team has drastically improved in the past 12 months, we are in a position where we see the need to rotate our line-up. We also know the 2026 season will be an important one for the team and having a complete and fair assessment of the drivers this season is the right thing to do in order to maximise our ambitions next year. We continue to support Jack at the team, as he has acted in a very professional manner in his role as a race driver so far this season. The next five races will give us an opportunity to try something different and after this time period we will assess our options.“
Franco Colapinto said:
“Firstly, I want to thank the team for giving me the opportunity to drive competitively for the next five races. I will work hard with the team to prepare for the next race in Imola and the upcoming triple-header, which will no doubt be intense and a big challenge for everyone. I have stayed sharp, and I am as ready as possible with the team’s race support testing programme, as well as on the simulator at Enstone. I will do my best to get up to speed quickly and give it my all to deliver the best possible results alongside Pierre.“
Jack Doohan added:
“I am very proud to have achieved my lifelong ambition to be a professional Formula One driver and I will forever be grateful to the team for helping me achieve this dream. Obviously, this latest chapter is a tough one for me to take because, as a professional driver, naturally I want to be racing. That said, I appreciate the team’s trust and commitment. We have long-term goals as a team to achieve and I will continue to give my maximum efforts in any way I can to help achieve those. For now, I will keep my head down, keep working hard, watch with interest the next five races and keep chasing my own personal goals.“
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