LONDON: Formula 1 team Alpine has changed its driver lineup to promote Franco Colapinto for at least the next five Grand Prix races at the expense of Jack Doohan.
Alpine confirmed the change Wednesday, a day after Oliver Oakes quit as team principal. The team said Flavio Briatore will continue as executive adviser and will cover Oakes’ duties.
“Colapinto will be paired with Pierre Gasly from the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, ahead of a new evaluation before the British Grand Prix in July,” Alpine said in a statement.
Alpine is ninth in the F1 constructors’ standings after six rounds. The next race weekend is May 16-18 at Imola.
At Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix, Doohan ran into another car on the opening lap and then crashed on the second lap.
Media reports of a driver rotation were dismissed ahead of the Miami GP weekend by Oakes, who had indicated that the rookie Australian driver would remain in the seat.
Doohan, who didn’t score a point in his seven GP races and had a best finish of 13th, will revert to being the team’s reserve driver.
The son of five-time motorcycle world champion Mick Doohan, Jack Doohan made his Formula 1 debut in the last race of 2024 and started this year for Alpine at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. He replaced Esteban Ocon, who left Alpine after a disappointing 2024.
Colapinto joined Alpine as a reserve driver in January after racing in 2024 for Williams, where he earned five points after replacing Logan Sargeant in August.