Days before the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season with the Melbourne Grand Prix, Australian media analyzed the debut of their driver, Jack Doohan. They also discussed the possibility of Franco Colapinto replacing him as the main driver.
Doohan will debut in Formula 1 in his home country and has the backing to keep the position for the rest of the season. The Australian driver is a registered trademark of Alpine, as he was part of the French team's development program, and his results and experience in other categories support him, being the runner-up in F3 in 2021 and third in F2 in 2023. Additionally, he is the son of motorcycle racing legend Mick Doohan.
However, Colapinto's figure emerges as a tough rival for the spot in the main line-up and according to the Sydney Morning Herald, Doohan's position is "fragile" and subject to change.
"Hard? Without a doubt. But it's the reality for Jack Doohan, whose debut at the Australian Grand Prix next weekend will have the ticking of a clock as its soundtrack, a debut at Albert Park under the imposing shadow of Alpine's diminutive new reserve driver, Franco Colapinto," the Australian media highlighted.
According to the author of the article, Matías Clayton, another point to consider is the popularity and marketing of the Argentine driver. "Colapinto's popularity in a country lacking Formula 1 drivers (and without a grand prix since 1998) has caused significant commercial interest," the article by journalist Matías Clayton highlighted. "Last year, people with insider information from the paddock suggested that Colapinto's commercial sponsors were contributing $500,000 per race during his brief stint with Williams. The well-connected Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Williams received $34.4 million from Alpine for that multi-year deal. Alpine's Argentine sponsor group increased," the reporter added.
