2 weeks Ago
Franco Colapinto's Argentine sponsors may need to dig deep to secure the Alpine race seat currently occupied by rookie Jack Doohan , as financial hurdles stand in the way of a potential driver swap. Under the guidance of advisor Flavio Briatore , Alpine invested heavily to secure Colapinto on loan from Williams for 2025 and beyond, fuelling speculation that Doohan's tenure with the team is at risk. Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher offered a candid assessment of Doohan's performance, stating to Sky Deutschland, "I don't want to be as harsh as Dr (Helmut) Marko and call Doohan a C-grade driver, but in my opinion he is not good enough for Formula 1.
" Schumacher tempered his critique, acknowledging the challenges Doohan faces. "It is too early to say for sure. He has a very experienced teammate in (Pierre) Gasly, who is also settled in the team and is supported.
That is why (criticising Doohan) may sound harsh and unfair," he said. "But I would say that compared to other rookies, Doohan doesn't look like someone who will fight for the world title at some point." Colapinto, Alpine's 21-year-old reserve driver, is backed by prominent sponsor Mercado Libre, whose branding already adorns the 2025 car even though he's not racing it.
However, whispers in Saudi Arabia suggested that another of Colapinto's sponsors may have missed a payment, potentially complicating his path to a race seat. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Doohan has been granted a reprieve, with his position secure at least until the summer. Schumacher believes significant financial backing will be crucial for Colapinto to unseat Doohan.
"I don't think he will be replaced without big money from Colapinto," he said, "especially as Jack has a big sponsor worth 10 million euros. That money would need to be replaced.".
