Alpine benches Jack Doohan for at least 5 races, team president out

The Alpine Formula One team is facing massive changes, with the replacement of a driver and the resignation of its team principal.

Alpine announced Wednesday that Franco Colapinto will take the place of Jack Doohan for the next five weekends, hoping to find better results for a team anchored by Pierre Gasly. Alpine said it plans to rotate drivers following an ongoing "assessment."

Doohan, 22, was a reserve driver for Alpine but was promoted to the main race squad last season when Esteban Ocon, who moved to Haas, departed.

But Doohan's performance has been criticized. In seven starts this season, his best finish is 13th, and the Australian has zero points and sits tied for last in the driver standings. Gasly has just seven points and is 12th.

By contrast McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have a combined 250 points and are 1-2 in the driver standings.

Doohan will take Colapinto's position as a reserve driver.

"I am very proud to have achieved my lifelong ambition to be a professional Formula 1 driver and I will forever be grateful to the team for helping me achieve this dream," Doohan said. "Obviously, this latest chapter is a tough one for me to take because, as a professional driver, naturally I want to be racing.

"That said, I appreciate the team's trust and commitment. We have long-term goals as a team to achieve and I will continue to give my maximum efforts in any way I can to help achieve those. For now, I will keep my head down, keep working hard, watch with interest the next five races and keep chasing my own personal goals."

It is unclear what role, if any, the driver move had to do with the immediate resignation of Alpine principal Oliver Oakes.

In a statement issued Tuesday night, Alpine announced Oakes' resignation and said team executive adviser would add Oakes' duties on top of his.

"The team would like to thank Oliver for his efforts since he joined last summer and for his contribution in helping the team secure sixth place in the 2024 Constructors' Championship, the statement read. Alpine is ninth of 10 teams in the current standings.

"The team will not be making any further comment."

Colapinto, of Argentina, will be behind the wheel at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Italy the weekend of May 16-18.

"I cannot wait to get started," said Colapinto, who turns 22 later this month.

--Field Level Media