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Former F1 driver Damon Hill dropped a one-word reaction to Alpine replacing rookie driver Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto mid-season. The team has mentioned that this is a temporary switch between the drivers for the upcoming five races.
The French outfit signed Jack Doohan, who had been serving as their reserve driver, for the 2025 season to partner Pierre Gasly. However, prior to the start of the season, the team also signed Franco Colapinto, who had formed quite an impression on the grid after his part-time stint with Williams Racing last year.
Before the season began, there were speculations that the team might replace Doohan with Colapinto mid-season, however, there was no official statement confirming the same until team principal Oliver Oakes resigned from his post earlier this week. Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore took on his duties.
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Shortly after Oakes' resignation, the team confirmed that Colapinto would be piloting the car instead of Doohan for the next five races, beginning at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola till further evaluation before the British Grand Prix.
In his response to the action from the team, former driver Damon Hill dropped a one-word reaction on his social media account.
"Swapsies," he wrote on his Instagram story.
The team has further confirmed that Jack Doohan will be their first-choice reserve driver for this period.
"I have stayed sharp": Franco Colapinto prepares to take on a "big challenge" with Alpine
Williams Racing signed Franco Colapinto mid-season in 2024 after they replaced Logan Sargeant, considering his subpar performances. The Argentine driver impressed the team with strong performances despite the lack of experience, and he managed to score points in just his second race at Azerbaijan after Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez took each other out.
Colapinto has remained a sensational driver since then. However, Williams Racing had already finalized their driver lineup for this season, and the 21-year-old was then signed by Alpine.
As he prepares to mark his return to the grid for a triple header, Colapinto explained that it's set to be quite a challenge, but he is well-prepared to take on it alongside the team and Pierre Gasly, his teammate.
"Firstly, I want to thank the team for giving me the opportunity to drive competitively for the next five races," Franco Colapinto said (via F1). "I will work hard with the team to prepare for the next race in Imola and the upcoming triple-header, which will no doubt be intense and a big challenge for everyone. “I have stayed sharp, and I am as ready as possible with the team’s race support testing programme, as well as on the simulator at Enstone. I will do my best to get up to speed quickly and give it my all to deliver the best possible results alongside Pierre."
Jack Doohan is one of the rookie drivers on the grid this season. He finished the 2023 Formula 2 season in third place. However, his F1 campaign has seemingly come to an end after a very short period. There is still a possibility that the team might get him back for the rest of the season, however, it would largely depend on Colapinto's performance in the next five races.
