The Australian driver confirmed that he will use a special helmet at the Miami GP, a date on which there was speculation about the possibility of Franco Colapinto taking his place
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Since Jack Doohan was announced as Alpine's main driver for the 2025 season, it was rumored that his contract covered the first five races of the year and that, if he didn't meet expectations, he could be replaced by Franco Colapinto, the team's only reserve driver with Formula 1 experience. However, a recent announcement from the Australian suggests that his continuity is assured at least until the Miami GP, the sixth event on the calendar, which postpones any immediate promotion possibility for the Argentine.
Doohan shared a video on his Instagram account where he revealed that he will use a custom helmet in the first of the three races of the season in the United States. The design will be the result of a collaboration with The Oppenheim Group, Jason Oppenheim's real estate firm.
"We're creating a custom racing helmet for him to wear while competing in the Miami Grand Prix on May 4. As we begin the creative process, we'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions to include them in the final design. Please comment below and be part of the final decision!" Oppenheim expressed in the video.
While this announcement reinforces the idea that Doohan will continue competing in Miami, his stay at Alpine will depend on his on-track results, which so far have been far from expected.
Why it was a tough start for Doohan
The Australian had a season start to forget. In the Australian GP, his home race, he suffered an accident before completing the first lap and had to retire. Then, in China, he crossed the finish line in 15th place thanks to the disqualifications of Pierre Gasly, Charles Leclerc, and Lewis Hamilton; otherwise, he would have finished 18th. In any case, Doohan didn't add points to a team that is accustomed to the midfield of the constructors' standings.
Doohan tiene que mejorar su nivel si quiere permanecer como titular
Additionally, in that same Grand Prix, he accumulated two penalties that cost him four points on his Super License. During the Sprint, he received a ten-second penalty and lost two points for an incident with Gabriel Bortoleto. In the main race, he repeated the penalty after a dangerous maneuver against Isack Hadjar. It should be remembered that if a driver loses 12 points on their Super License, they must serve a suspension, as happened to HAAS driver Kevin Magnussen last season.
Franco Colapinto is still waiting for his chance
With Doohan on the edge, Colapinto remains expectant. If the Australian doesn't improve his performance, the possibility of a replacement could become a reality, although he will have to compete with the other reserve drivers. Meanwhile, the Argentine continues gaining experience in the simulator and collaborating in the car's development.
Actualmente, Colapinto se dedica a usar el simulador y a ayudar con el desarrollo del monoplaza
For now, however, he won't have participation in the next Japan GP, as local driver Ryo Hirakawa will assume the role of third driver and will be in charge of the A525 during the first free practice session of the weekend.
