Major update on Jack Doohan's future at Alpine: Reports

Alpine driver Jack Doohan will reportedly secure his seat until the summer break, as the team engineers are reportedly pleased with his progress this year. Despite multiple crashes and penalties, he apparently has the backing of the team.

Doohan, who made his F1 debut at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, got the green light from Alpine to start the 2025 season with Pierre Gasly. However, the team's executive advisor, Flavio Briatore's, alleged inclination towards reserve driver Franco Colapinto put Doohan's seat at risk.

Before the season could begin, rumors of Doohan getting replaced by Colapinto mid-season gained steam. Moreover, the Australian driver's crashes in Australia and Japan further raised debate on his ability to handle pressure.

In four races so far, Doohan has not scored a single point, and speculations around his exit before the summer break spread like wildfire. However, according to a new report from The Race, the Alpine driver will reportedly stay.

The Race has claimed that Alpine engineers are pleased with Jack Doohan's improvement, pace, and overall performance. His feedback and relationship with Gasly have apparently earned him brownie points, as Alpine is likely to retain him in the second seat until the summer break.

Doohan came close to scoring his first points for Alpine at the Bahrain GP. He started the race from P11, but a safety car wiped off his lead. Once the race resumed, he couldn't hold off the competition and slipped to P15. On the other hand, his teammate, Pierre Gasly, drove a stunning race to finish P7 and score the first points of the season for his team.

While Doohan's seat is likely secured momentarily, he will have to prove his worth to avoid getting sacked in the second half of the season. Colapinto not only brings his promising talent but also significant money through sponsorships, which gives him a big edge over the Australian driver.

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Jack Doohan blames the safety car for ruining his race in Bahrain

Jack Doohan at F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain - Source: Getty

For the first time this 2025 F1 season, Jack Doohan was in contention to score points for Alpine. At the Bahrain GP, a safety car was deployed to clear debris, but Alpine kept Doohan out on hard tires while the rest of the drivers behind him pitted for soft compound.

While the Australian driver initially climbed to P9, he failed to hold on to the lead once the race resumed. Talking to nine.com, he said:

"Just unfortunate timing of the safety car. Six cars behind us on brand new softs, and I had to push quite hard to stay in front, and once one went past, they all came through. And unfortunately we picked up a time penalty right at the end, which put us back a couple of positions."

Eventually, Jack Doohan slipped to P15 and missed a great opportunity to score points for his team, Alpine.