Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes has dismissed claims Jack Doohan will be replaced in their line-up before the next round of the championship.
Doohan’s future became the subject of renewed speculation after a sponsor of Franco Colapinto indicated he will debut for the team “in Imola”, the scene of the next race after Miami.Oakes said the team has no intention at present to replace either Doohan or his team mate Pierre Gasly.
“As it is today, Jack is our driver along with Pierre,” he said in today’s FIA press conference in Miami. “I think we’ve been pretty clear on that.
“I mean, we always evaluate it, but today that is the case.”
Colapinto was unexpectedly promoted to a Formula 1 seat at Williams last year after the team sacked Logan Sargeant at mid-season. He impressed over the course of his first nine grands prix, scoring five points.
Argentina’s first F1 driver in 23 years was linked to a race seat at Alpine even before he joined the team as a reserve driver earlier this year. Oakes, who said he was aware of the remarks made by Colapinto’s sponsor, acknowledged there is considerable public interest in the possibility he will race for the team.
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“I saw it, like everyone else. I think it was a sponsor from Argentina, off-camera, giving his view on Franco and when he’s going to be in the car,” he said. “I’m sure there’s a lot of people in Argentina who’d like him in the car this Sunday.
“I think we’ve been pretty open as a team that that’s just noise out there and Jack needs to continue doing a good job. But I think obviously it’s natural that there’s always that speculation there.”
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bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
2nd May 2025, 20:19
To me that reads Franco will be racing in Imola. I feel for Jack, I doubt he’s the greatest talent to ever hold a wheel but the amount of noise and speculation since he was signed has been unfair, yes F1 is brutal, but if you hire someone, don’t fire them minutes after the interview. It doesn’t help, look good, and will have wasted peoples time.
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd May 2025, 22:29
Yeah, this is exemplary of trying not to say “yes, he’ll be dropped” without explicitly lying when he knows what is going to happen. It also showed in Doohan’s frustration at how the team waited for ages in Q1 for the sprint race today and then at the last moment put Gasly out right ahead of him (so he had trouble making the turn and not hitting Gasly’s car) which made him miss the cut.
Ideals (@ideals)
2nd May 2025, 20:21
“He’s our driver…” … “today…”
“We always evaluate it…”
“…He’s gone, he already knows it, but we’ve agreed to not announce it until after the weekend just so we can avoid the hard questions about it all weekend.”
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
2nd May 2025, 22:58
I think it was great to hear Jack go off on his ‘team’ for throwing him under the bus. I know that sounds bad, but at least it’s real. And Alpine deserve to let Jack write his own future.
Jere (@jerejj)
2nd May 2025, 20:51
The YPF president ultimately backtracked his accidental hot-mic slip just to be clear in addition to Oakes’ words.
However, I’m still positive a change will happen sooner rather than later.
Simon
2nd May 2025, 21:27
No “predicted” timescale? 🤔
Only Facts!
3rd May 2025, 13:04
After listening to Doohan’s trashing the team for Gasly’s releasing, I can see that the love is gone.
That’s how it starts, and is a sign that the divorce is inevitable and both sides know it.
Unless you are Alonso. He could save a marriage by regularly shaving 5 tenths off.
BenjaminS (@benihana)
3rd May 2025, 16:25
Give Doohan a bloody chance, I get there is sponsorship to be had with Colapinto, but having rookies go a few races before being handed their papers?! If this keeps happening the stars of today will be last drivers to be recognized and will have a revolving door of no name drivers much like in Indycars. This business attitude of having success now and not build it up to be successful later is no good for drivers, teams and the sport (show).