Alpine and Jack Doohan Split After Australian Demoted to Reserve Role

Jack Doohan's journey with the Alpine Formula 1 team has come to an end after a mutual agreement to part ways for the 2026 season. The decision follows the Australian's demotion from a full-time race seat to a reserve driver role after the team signed Franco Colapinto, highlighting a brutal turn of events for the long-term academy driver.

Why it matters:

Doohan's exit underscores the high-stakes, cutthroat nature of modern F1, where even a driver nurtured for years within a team's own academy can be quickly sidelined. For Alpine, it signals a decisive shift in their driver strategy, prioritizing immediate performance potential over long-term development as they aim to climb back up the grid.

The details:

• Performance Struggles: Doohan was comprehensively outperformed by teammate Pierre Gasly during his eight qualifying sessions, managing to beat him only twice and often by significant margins—more than six-tenths of a second in half of those sessions. His best race finish was a lowly 13th place.
• Timeline of Events: After graduating from the Alpine Academy, Doohan made his grand prix debut at the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP. However, the subsequent signing of Colapinto and other reserves led to his demotion, a move he publicly called "a tough one to take."
• Next Steps: Doohan is now exploring options outside of F1, with a potential move to Japan's Super Formula series with Kondo Racing on the horizon. A recent test crash at Suzuka, where he hit the same wall three times, has added a layer of uncertainty to his next career move.
• Alpine's Statement: The Enstone-based squad thanked Doohan for his "commitment and professionalism" over the past four years and wished him well for the future, officially confirming the split.

Looking Ahead:

With his F1 dream at Alpine stalled, Doohan's focus will be on proving his talent in Super Formula to potentially revive his top-level single-seater career. For Alpine, the gamble is on Colapinto to deliver the results and provide the spark the team desperately needs to reverse its recent fortunes and challenge the midfield leaders.