Rumors circulating over the past few days about Alpine signing Franco Colapinto have turned out to be true, with the Argentine driver joining the Enstone-based team on what is reported to be a multi-year deal starting in 2025.
However, with Alpine already having signed rookie Jack Doohan for 2025, what does this mean for Colapinto? Will he replace the Australian at some point in the season? Both Williams and Alpine clarified this in their respective announcements—Colapinto will take up the role of a test and reserve driver.
Some reports, however, suggest that Alpine may be inclined to give Colapinto a chance to race alongside Pierre Gasly at the French team. F1 Insider reported that Doohan only signed a five-race deal, which also explained why James Vowles might have declared Colapinto’s move to Alpine as his best shot at securing an F1 seat for 2025 or 2026.
“Williams has one of the most formidable driver line-ups on the grid for 2025 and beyond in Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, so we believe this agreement with Alpine represents Franco’s best chance of securing a race seat in 2025 or 2026,” the Williams team principal said.
VAMOS FRANCO
He joins us on a multi-year deal. Franco will be our Reserve Driver for 2025
— BWT Alpine Formula One Team (@AlpineF1Team) January 9, 2025
By allowing Colapinto to join one of their rivals, Vowles seems to have stayed true to his commitment to doing everything possible to help the 21-year-old secure a race seat. While this move is great news for Colapinto, it adds more pressure on Doohan, as subpar performances could lead to him losing his race seat.
Why may Alpine prefer Colapinto over Doohan?
Since Alpine brought former team principal Flavio Briatore back in 2024, there has been a concerted effort to save money wherever possible. One such move was Briatore’s decision to opt for Mercedes engines from the 2026 season onwards, revealing that the team would never win the championship with their in-house Renault engines.
With Briatore aiming for maximum efficiency, he likely decided to bring Colapinto on board not only for his performances but also for his potential to attract lucrative sponsorship deals. Despite competing in just nine F1 races last year, the 21-year-old quickly became a fan favorite, especially in South America.
Given Colapinto’s strong following, he is more likely to bring in sponsors for Alpine than Doohan—something the French team desperately needs. If Colapinto can back up this potential with solid results on track, it would be a huge boost for a team like Alpine, who have struggled in recent seasons.
