Doohan vs Colapinto: Is it really all decided?

Has the emergence of a chance to unlock tens of millions from Argentina, with Franco Colapinto because the bait, sealed Jack Doohan’s destiny at Alpine? Many within the paddock now see it as an virtually inevitable state of affairs: if Doohan underperforms within the first few races – or even when he’s simply unspectacular – Flavio Briatore will make a transfer, changing him together with his new protégé and in flip opening the floodgates of South American sponsorship cash. Nothing private – simply enterprise.

System 1 shouldn’t be at all times about sport. Most of the time, it is about cash. And whereas it’s sure that the Argentinean has put himself in a great place because of his stint with Williams, Renault additionally has a transparent curiosity within the South American market. Having a driver from the area may be seen as a great strategic alternative, and the crew’s need to capitalise on it’s comprehensible.

Colapinto’s velocity is an extra however mandatory issue on this case. His surprising debut in F1 might not have been flawless, however it was sufficient to place him not solely on Alpine’s radar, but in addition on Pink Bull’s – and, crucially, to place F1 again within the highlight in Argentina.

Franco Colapinto

Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos

The chain of occasions that unfolded between Colapinto and Alpine encourages hypothesis concerning the subsequent chapter within the story. The rumours of Briatore’s curiosity in Colapinto’s companies appeared lengthy earlier than he lastly joined the crew, and the affirmation solely strengthened the impact: the paddock gossiped concerning the causes for this curiosity, with Argentinean cash being talked about in virtually each dialog. The following signing appeared to verify: sure, all the things is going on precisely as predicted.

On the similar time, it grew to become virtually widespread information that Doohan’s contract contained a clause that he may very well be launched after 5 or 6 races. Some even defined Alpine’s determination to place him within the automobile in Abu Dhabi final yr as an early try by the brand new bosses to provide him an opportunity to “fail” as quickly as attainable.

All of this hypothesis has, in a single type or one other, led to an enormous quantity of press protection. So, when Doohan confronted the media for the primary time this winter, it was clear that as an alternative of the standard rookie questions on the way it feels to be an F1 driver and the way he is dealing with the celebrity, the Australian was relentlessly interrogated about Colapinto and the strain his presence within the crew generates.

“Do not you are feeling undermined in any respect by Franco being there?” he was requested in the course of the F1 75 press convention. “As a result of it’s totally uncommon to have a 21-year-old reserve driver on a long-term contract who raced final season and desires to race once more as quickly as attainable.”

Jack Doohan and Pierre Gasly on the F1 75 occasion in London

Picture by: Getty Photos

He needed to come out preventing.

“Is {that a} query?” he grinned, having already given the reply that strain is a actuality for all drivers, no matter whether or not they have an Argentinean expertise ready on the bench subsequent to them.

That strategy was then praised by Oliver Oakes, who clearly sought to push the narrative that hypothesis about Doohan being changed by Colapinto was the work of sure “keyboard warriors” spreading daring assumptions that the rookie’s days with the crew had been numbered.

However whereas he is been sensible in his position, these keyboard warriors would not have weapons if Alpine hadn’t supplied them. And it isn’t simply the info that paint an image of an impending menace.

Oakes’ boss, Flavio Briatore, has an almost-love affair with Colapinto on Instagram, sharing footage from world wide: they pose collectively after signing the deal, then the Italian shares a video from Colapinto’s TPC take a look at in Barcelona, after which one other image from Monaco, the place they stand in entrance of a wall with a “Love is the reply” signal within the background.

 

In a 30-second video shared on Alpine’s social media channels about Luca de Meo’s go to to Enstone in early January, each the Renault CEO and Flavio spoke not about the primary race drivers, however Colapinto.

“Franco for me is without doubt one of the greatest younger, fast drivers for the longer term,” Briatore stated.

There hardly is one other reserve driver in F1 who will get a lot love from his bosses – and it is in all probability honest to say that there is sufficient substance for Doohan to be not less than slightly jealous.

And, in fact, there’s a submit on Flavio’s Instagram web page devoted to the signing of Mercado Libre – Argentina’s main e-commerce firm and one in every of Colapinto’s backers – as a sponsor.

So the soldiers Oakes likes to say, not less than, aren’t the one ones contributing to the hype round Colapinto.

Jack Doohan, Alpine

Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photos

All of it provides up, does not it? Colapinto was efficiently lured away from Williams and given a three-year contract. What younger driver indicators such an extended contract simply to sit down on the bench? And the cash is already coming in from Argentina. So there’s just one formality left: for Doohan to vacate his seat.

Or is there? There’s nonetheless some doubt as as to whether Argentinean sponsors will really flood Alpine with money. For now, there is no signal of any corporations in addition to Mercado Libre becoming a member of the crew’s sponsorship portfolio.

It’s understood that the crew has been involved with Globant, however that firm already sponsors F1 itself, and thus far these discussions haven’t resulted in something concrete. And nationwide oil firm YPF, which supported Colapinto within the junior collection, is not more likely to be a part of, as Alpine has already signed a significant cope with Eni that primarily excludes partnerships with different corporations in the identical sector.

In the meantime, the crew itself is making an attempt to protect Doohan from the strain as a lot as attainable – and through the identical press convention on the F1 75 occasion, the crew’s PR consultant shut down the third consecutive Colapinto-related query directed on the Australian. Motorsport.com understands that this coverage will proceed, because it’s clear that related questions are more likely to be repeated at Doohan’s residence race in Melbourne.

Flavio Briatore, Alpine Government Advisor

Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photos

As for Briatore, there’s actually nothing new in his conduct, as it is a modus operandi for the Italian to place strain on his drivers. And, in idea, Colapinto may very well be simply as a lot of a menace to Pierre Gasly – however it’s simply assumed that the Frenchman can be effectively forward of his team-mate.

It is also clear that Doohan was not on the prime of Alpine’s listing to accomplice Gasly in 2025, because the crew pushed to signal Carlos Sainz. Nonetheless, it is evident that the Australian has made a robust case for himself via his work behind the scenes. He has earned a status as an excellent simulator driver, and insiders reward not solely his contribution to Alpine’s growth price over the previous yr, but in addition his efforts throughout race weekends. Throughout the Monaco Grand Prix, for instance, Doohan labored on the manufacturing unit till 3am to seek out the suitable set-up for the qualifying – after which headed to the monitor after solely an hour’s sleep to fulfil his reserve driver duties.

In what Oakes described as a “punchy” performance on the F1 75 press convention, Doohan denied feeling below strain regardless of having a 21-year-old third driver within the crew.

“I used to be a 21-year-old reserve final yr with a long-term contract,” he replied earlier than the Alpine PR consultant requested the media to vary the topic. “However no, I do not. Perhaps I ought to? I do not know. I do not actually perceive that as a query, however yeah, positively not.”

Jack Doohan, Alpine

Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photos

And when you’re free to imagine that this was nothing greater than a courageous speech, it is the one appropriate strategy in his state of affairs.

For now, Colapinto stays Alpine’s reserve driver. And it is as much as him to show his value to his new employer, whether or not it is in TPC outings or on the simulator. Funnily sufficient, a part of his job is to truly make Doohan look higher by helping him from the manufacturing unit when he is on sim duties throughout race weekends – however it’s additionally one thing that will not go unnoticed, particularly given the love he is getting from the bosses.

On prime of these TPC outings, Motorsport.com understands Colapinto will attend the races in Australia and China as a reserve driver, which is certain to supply the F1 broadcast crew with alternatives for dramatic cutaways: a shot of the Argentinean watching from the storage is assured after each Doohan lock-up.

There’s positively much more strain on him than on most different drivers, and regardless of Oakes’ defensive techniques, when given the chance to quash paddock rumours that Doohan had been given 5 races to show himself, he finally did not take it.

Jack Doohan, Alpine A525

Picture by: Alpine

“I believe we’ve been actually trustworthy as a crew about what we’re doing,” he stated in response to a direct query. “I maintain saying it, however it could be good to simply let Jack get on with it – and in addition let the crew get on with it, to be trustworthy.”

No matter how widespread the hearsay is, solely a small group of individuals actually know what’s in Doohan’s contract with Alpine. Having efficiency clauses in such contracts is nothing uncommon in F1, and on condition that Alpine was just about Doohan’s solely lifelike F1 profession choice, it is laborious to think about that his contract presents him bulletproof safety ought to his bosses take into account changing him anyway.

Regardless, Doohan has one key and plain benefit: it is him – not Colapinto – who can be driving the automobile in Australia, and most certainly for the following few rounds of the championship. And F1, as a lot a enterprise as a sport, nonetheless rewards efficiency. What Oakes and Briatore need most from the crew is to complete as excessive up within the constructors’ championship as attainable, as a result of that’s the best solution to enhance the crew’s finances via the FOM prize fund.

Jack Doohan is one in every of many rookies on 2025 grid

Picture by: Sauber

Though the media is filled with stories suggesting that the choice has already been made, the fact could also be totally different. In spite of everything, on the finish of final yr there have been loads of stories suggesting that Colapinto was already set to switch Sergio Perez at Pink Bull.

What’s clear for now’s that the Argentine has put himself in a great place because of his stint with Williams. Plainly Alpine even agreed to pay the Grove-based crew compensation to safe his companies for the following three years – and so they definitely would not have accomplished so in the event that they did not see him as a possible race driver. He may additionally assist open doorways to profitable offers in South America. However for now, which may be all he has – relatively than any kind of assure that he’ll quickly be behind the wheel of one in every of Alpine’s F1 automobiles.

“I imply, I get that everyone has an opinion,” Oakes stated in Bahrain. “[But] it is quite simple, is not it? We’re right here to go racing. We would like the perfect driver within the automobile, the perfect engine within the automobile. Flavio stated it, didn’t he? We’re beginning the season with Jack and Pierre, after which let’s see the way it all goes.”

And there could also be extra reality in these phrases than within the paddock rumours.