Doohan’s F1 drive at risk as Alpine chases Colapinto

Interest in the Argentinian youngster is high following an impressive, and unexpected, start to his F1 career.

Called in to replace Logan Sargeant at Williams, Colapinto has proved a close match for Alex Albon.

With Albon set to be joined by Carlos Sainz next season, there is no race drive available for the Williams Academy star.

However, his early performances have caught the interest of rivals, with Red Bull Racing known to be interested – though sources there suggest any deal is some way off.

It is also not the only operation to have shown interest. Though not publicly stated, Alpine is understood to also harbour interest in Colapinto.

There are suggestions of other interest parties too, which comes as no surprise; Colapinto has become a hot prospect in the F1 paddock, a point Williams boss James Vowles knows full well and is looking to capitalise on.

While Red Bull’s interest is clear, it is chasing a replacement for Sergio Perez and looking to position itself for life beyond Max Verstappen too, Alpine’s is less clear cut.

The fiery Esteban Ocon will leave the team for Haas at the end of the year, which failed in its efforts to secure Sainz. Instead, it opted to promote Doohan from its Academy program.

That is an important fact as, while Alpine has done much to develop young drivers, it has an abysmal record when it comes to promoting them into F1.

Guanyu Zhou left the program to join Sauber, while incompetence at senior management level meant Oscar Piastri was free to join McLaren.

By announcing Doohan as team-mate to Pierre Gasly for 2025 Alpine injected some much-needed credibility into its junior program, a move that could be undone in a heartbeat.

Along with his promising early performances, Colapinto brings with him backing from South America.

The Williams engine cover has been painted yellow in recent races as a result of investment from MercadoLibre, an Argentinian technology firm (headquartered in Uruguay) that posted a 2022 profit of USD $482 million on assets worth USD $13.7 billion.

Carlos Slim Domit, the billionaire behind Telmex and a strong supporter of Perez, has also suggested he’s open to backing the 20-year-old.

It makes Colapinto an attractive prospect both on track and off it at a time when Renault has made it clear that it is looking to scale back its F1 exposure.

Doohan is, quite simply, unable to match Colapinto’s commercial benefits.

Ironically, the Australian is also a greater unknown in terms of performance as, while he has completed significant mileage in older F1 machinery and an intensive simulator program in support of the race team, he has never started a grand prix.

Colapinto now has six to his name, and five points, a return that had seen the Grove squad inch clear of Alpine in the constructors’ championship (until the season-saving double-podium in Interlagos last weekend).

That Red Bull Racing is also interested lends further credibility to his potential.

Should Alpine be successful in securing Colapinto it would likely spell the end of the F1 road for Doohan.

The Australian has sacrificed himself for the team in the hope of being rewarded with an F1 race drive, and so far that remains true.

A change in that scenario now would be wholly unfair on the 21-year-old, though entirely in-keeping with Alpine’s track record of managing its junior drivers.

It must be stressed, of course, that Alpine’s 2025 line-up is confirmed, with Pierre Gasly and Doohan.