Ricciardo COMEBACK and Ferrari chaos as brutal…. Read more
Alpine is reportedly planning a shift in their lineup, with Jack Doohan, who made his F1 debut in 2024, being under pressure despite replacing Esteban Ocon alongside Pierre Gasly. While Doohan is entering his rookie season, he faces competition from Franco Colapinto, who impressed during a late-season stint at Williams. Alpine recently named Colapinto as their reserve driver, intensifying speculation that he could replace Doohan if he underperforms. This has led to a tense atmosphere within the team, as Alpine is known for quickly making driver changes when results don’t meet expectations.
The situation at Alpine exemplifies the cutthroat nature of Formula 1, where even a single season can make or break a driver’s career. While Doohan has shown promise, the presence of Colapinto, combined with Alpine’s history of making bold decisions, means he has little margin for error. This reflects the broader trend in F1 where teams don’t hesitate to make drastic changes if they feel it will improve their performance. In fact, the sport is notorious for swiftly replacing drivers, sometimes after just a few races, as teams seek to find the perfect combination for success.
A similar fate befell Daniel Ricciardo, who was replaced at AlphaTauri in 2024 after a disappointing stint with McLaren. Ricciardo’s return to the Red Bull family as a reserve driver did not prevent his eventual exit from the main seat, with Liam Lawson stepping in to replace him at AlphaTauri after the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix. Ricciardo’s situation highlights how even high-profile drivers are not immune to the ruthless nature of F1’s driver carousel.
Meanwhile, the rumor mill continues to swirl around other potential moves, with Lewis Hamilton’s future being a hot topic. Speculation about his possible move to Ferrari has been growing, especially following recent comments from Nico Rosberg, who has expressed hope for such a switch. In addition, Sergio Perez, another prominent figure in the sport, has broken his silence regarding his own F1 future, further fueling speculation about the upcoming season.
As the 2025 season approaches, F1’s ‘silly season’ is already proving to be a thrilling spectacle of driver rumors and speculation, with several major moves possibly on the h
orizon.
