There is much speculation about the return of Franco Colapinto to the F1 grid, but the truth is that the Argentine driver is still waiting for his chance. However, the inconsistency of Jack Doohan and the pressure from Flavio Briatore to put him behind the wheel of the Alpine could mean a change of direction for the team. Fate is capricious, and just like in his debut last season, Italy looks set to be the stage for his return.
Colapinto knocks on F1’s door
Franco Colapinto made his debut in August last year at Monza, one of the two circuits raced on Italian soil during the season, replacing Logan Sargent, who was unable to take advantage of the opportunity to drive at the highest level in elite motorsport. And he did not disappoint. In his first race, he achieved a valuable eighth place after qualifying ninth. Williams’ season was difficult overall, and the Argentine finished the year with only five points, seven fewer than Alex Albon, who competed all year, which says it all. But the feelings he showed on the track were very positive.
But by the time he made his debut, the English team had already announced its second driver for the 2025 season, Carlos Sainz. The difficulty of finding a seat in F1 led him to return to being a reserve driver, but not at Williams. Given the situation, the figure of Flavio Briatore emerged, who, among his qualities, stands out for launching young talent and turning them into world champions, as he did with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, to name but two. The Italian did not hesitate and signed him for Alpine. And if it were up to him, he would be one of the starting drivers today.
Pressure for Jack Doohan
Since Franco Colapinto’s arrival at Alpine, Jack Doohan has felt threatened from the outset. There was talk that his days were numbered and that a driver change would be a matter of weeks away. The truth is that Alpine has created an internal battle between Briatore and the rest of the team, with the latter winning the battle so far.
However, Jack Doohan’s performance is slowly proving Briatore right. In the last Miami Grand Prix, the young Australian driver managed to qualify ahead of Gasly for the first time and make it into Q3, but he threw it all away at the start, and an incident with Lawson left him out of the race. It could be the final straw that makes the change definitive.
Colapinto prepares for the Imola Grand Prix
There are just a few days to go before the start of the F1 Imola Grand Prix weekend in Italy, the first race on European soil this season, and Alpine is seriously considering a driver change for this race. According to The Race, the French team seems to be succumbing to pressure from Briatore, influenced by the Australian driver’s results on the track.
In fact, the pressure is very high, not only from the Italian, but from the world of F1. Many believe that Colapinto has the potential to become a great driver and deserves a place on the current grid. His performance last season proves that he has what it takes to be behind the wheel. F1 is a ruthless sport, and Jack Doohan has had “enough” time to prove himself, but it seems that he has failed to convince Alpine.