[Other Sport] F1 2025

[Audax]

Colapinto replaces Doohan at Alpine - but faces review after five races

Franco Colapinto will replace Jack Doohan at Alpine for at least the next five races of the 2025 Formula 1 season

www.the-race.com

More fun and games at Alpine. Colapinto has now been confirmed to replace Doohan however it is only guaranteed for the next 5 races and they could yet swap back if Colapinto fails to impress. Or possibly even draft in Paul Aron (although his chances appear slim with Oakes gone, as he was backed specifically by Oakes).

The Race are also speculating heavily that Oliver Oakes' decision to resign was precipitated by him strongly disagreeing with Briatore's handling of the driver situation. With Oakes gone, Briatore now has firm control of the team (without actually having a job title that reflects this).

We've not heard the end of this one I think.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Colapinto replaces Doohan at Alpine - but faces review after five races

Franco Colapinto will replace Jack Doohan at Alpine for at least the next five races of the 2025 Formula 1 season

www.the-race.com

More fun and games at Alpine. Colapinto has now been confirmed to replace Doohan however it is only guaranteed for the next 5 races and they could yet swap back if Colapinto fails to impress. Or possibly even draft in Paul Aron (although his chances appear slim with Oakes gone, as he was backed specifically by Oakes).

The Race are also speculating heavily that Oliver Oakes' decision to resign was precipitated by him strongly disagreeing with Briatore's handling of the driver situation. With Oakes gone, Briatore now has firm control of the team (without actually having a job title that reflects this).

We've not heard the end of this one I think.

Some interesting comments after that article online. Particularly:

"For once there is a team which seems to better Red Bull in terms of brutal young driver choices.

Do you think, Oscar Piastri chuckles everytime he rolls past the Alpine garage in his Mclaren?"

I think he probably does. Whatever you think of how it was done, it's looking a better decision by Piastri with every race.

 

[Audax]

Some interesting comments after that article online. Particularly:

"For once there is a team which seems to better Red Bull in terms of brutal young driver choices.

Do you think, Oscar Piastri chuckles everytime he rolls past the Alpine garage in his Mclaren?"

I think he probably does. Whatever you think of how it was done, it's looking a better decision by Piastri with every race.

I expect he does. He played a blinder - Alpine insiders have long since admitted Piastri going to McLaren was entirely Alpine's fault. They failed to execute a contract option they had, and then carried on with everything pretending they had. Piastri was free to leave whenever he wanted, and signed that McLaren contract not long before the famous events unfolded. He just hadn't told Alpine yet, but I'm sure he would have if Alpine had asked him before they tried to announce him as a race driver...

 

[Flounce]

Briatore back in charge of Alpine. As an Alpine brand fan I am less than impressed, the man cheated by asking a driver to deliberately crash his car to help Alonso win a race. Shocked he’s been taken on as the new boss but F1 is a very murky pool and has long been so.

 

[Audax]

Briatore back in charge of Alpine. As an Alpine brand fan I am less than impressed, the man cheated by asking a driver to crash to help Alonso win a race. Shocked he’s been taken on as the new boss but F1 is a very murky pool and has long been so.

From what I'm reading, he's been all-but in charge ever since he was brought back as an "advisor". Oakes has quit because he's finally decided he can't be Briatore's puppet any longer and strongly disagreed with the Doohan / Colapinto swap.

 

[Flounce]

From what I'm reading, he's been all-but in charge ever since he was brought back as an "advisor". Oakes has quit because he's finally decided he can't be Briatore's puppet any longer and strongly disagreed with the Doohan / Colapinto swap.

Good for him then!

 

[Audax]

Good for him then!

Briatore now denying that's the case and that Oakes has left for "personal reasons". Yeah, ok ... that's F1 double-speak if ever I've heard it.

 

[Flounce]

Briatore now denying that's the case and that Oakes has left for "personal reasons". Yeah, ok ... that's F1 double-speak if ever I've heard it.

Briatore being the “personal reason”

 

[Audax]

Briatore being the “personal reason”

Or maybe not ... The latest in this saga:

Oliver Oakes in Dubai after brother arrested with ‘large amount of cash’

Former Formula 1 team principal Oliver Oakes is understood to have travelled to Dubai as a result of ongoing developments.

www.planetf1.com

 

[AstroSloth]

Jack Doohan's last full lap in F1:

 

[A1X]

Briatore back in charge of Alpine. As an Alpine brand fan I am less than impressed, the man cheated by asking a driver to deliberately crash his car to help Alonso win a race. Shocked he’s been taken on as the new boss but F1 is a very murky pool and has long been so.

Really he should have been banned for life for that stunt

 

[Audax]

Really he should have been banned for life for that stunt

He was. But the FIA at the time didn't follow due process and a French court overturned it.

 

[Audax]

Continuing the Alpine theme...

Following rumours (that proved unfounded) that Perez would be announced as the first Cadillac driver for 2026 over the Miami weekend, there are now reports that Perez' team are talking with Alpine about a 2026 race seat. All coming hot on the heels of Alpine justifying the Doohan/Colapinto swap on the basis that it helps them evaluate drivers for 2026...