Shake-up at Alpine: Franco Colapinto Takes the Wheel from Jack Doohan
Racing squad shifts driver and team leader - Team swaps racer following leadership decision on Formula One squad
Prepare for some change in the Formula 1 scene! The Alpine team has decided to give Argentine driver Franco Colapinto the hot seat for the next five races, replacing struggling Australian Jack Doohan at the Imola Grand Prix. This switch comes after a series of unsuccessful races for Doohan, with no points on the board and a string of crashes weighing him down.
Yup, you heard it right! The 21-year-old Colapinto who made a splash with his performance for Williams mid-season last year, is ready to make his Alpine debut. After scoring points in Baku and Austin, Colapinto showed some serious potential—but also experienced a few setbacks with crashes in Las Vegas and Brazil. Still, Alpine didn't hesitate to bring him on board as their reserve driver. Now he'll team up with regular driver, Pierre Gasly, at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Colapinto's race calendar also includes Monaco, Spain, Canada, and Austria. The team will evaluate the driver situation before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in early July, and Doohan may still step in as the first reserve option until then.
Yuck! Poor Doohan, right? But let's not forget that he's had a tough ride. The 22-year-old, son of Australian motorcycle legend Mick Doohan, has been under pressure due to the costly crashes. Team principal Flavio Briatore, who's no stranger to the Formula 1 scene, pushing for this driver change, has been eyeing Colapinto as his replacement for quite some time.
The driver change follows recent turmoil at Alpine. After a disappointing start to the season, team principal Oliver Oakes resigned, and the 75-year-old Briatore, known for his stint as team principal of record-breaking champion Michael Schumacher, has taken on Oakes' duties. Flavio dropped a bombshell, admitting that they realized they needed to rotate their driver lineup.
So, buckle up, race fans! It's gon' be some wild ride this season with all the changes happening at Alpine!
- The change in drivers at Alpine for the next five races, with Franco Colapinto replacing Jack Doohan, is a response to Doohan's string of disappointing performances and crashes.
- Schumacher's record-breaking stint as a champion was under Flavio Briatore's guidance, who is now taking over as the team principal at Alpine after Oliver Oakes' resignation.
- The crashes that Doohan has encountered have been costly, putting him under pressure and earning the attention of Flavio Briatore, who has been keen on replacing him with Colapinto for some time.
