A driver change and a team principal`s departure early in the season don`t typically signal a thriving Formula 1 team. The question arises: is Alpine F1 truly in crisis?
Oliver Oakes` unexpected resignation as team principal occurred on Tuesday evening, only hours before Alpine officially announced the widely anticipated news that Franco Colapinto would replace Jack Doohan for the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
While initial thoughts linking these two events seem incorrect, this doesn`t offer much comfort for what many consider to be one of the most unstable teams in Formula 1 over the past decade.
Following this news, *Sky Sports F1`s* Karun Chandhok and *Sky Sports News* reporter Craig Slater discussed the situation on a special episode of The F1 Show.
What is the rationale behind Alpine`s unusual driver `rotation`?
Although many F1 outlets reported on Sunday evening at the Miami Grand Prix that Doohan was losing his seat to Colapinto, Alpine`s confirmation of the change still contained a surprise.
The surprise was how they presented the change: as a `rotation`, with Colapinto confirmed to partner Pierre Gasly for the next five races.
This type of short-term driver arrangement is uncommon in recent F1 history, and the team`s decision to publicize its temporary nature is also quite noteworthy.
Alpine states their rationale is to evaluate their pool of young drivers ahead of the significant rule changes next year (2026) – changes they hope will propel them up the grid – in order to establish the strongest possible driver pairing for 2026.
Slater explained, `Alpine also thinks they will have a competitive car next season (2025). They hope to be among the teams fighting for the championship.`
`They believe they could be one of perhaps four teams competing for the championship next year. Some speculation even connects Max Verstappen to a move to Alpine, although that currently seems unlikely.`
`They have faith in Gasly and aim to determine the optimal driver lineup for 2026.`
Is the Colapinto deal primarily financially motivated?
A more cynical perspective on the five-race agreement suggests it is primarily driven by financial considerations.
Colapinto made a strong impression during a nine-race stint with Williams late last season, rapidly gaining substantial sponsorship and popularity from his home country, Argentina.
Beyond his driving talent, his appeal in the South American market likely significantly influenced Alpine executive director Flavio Briatore`s decision to reportedly pay a fee of €4.5m (£3.8m) to secure Colapinto from Williams on what is understood to be a five-year loan arrangement.
Slater commented, `My understanding is that financial pressures played a major role in his switch with Doohan.`
`The potential financial benefits for Alpine are quite substantial. They reportedly paid Williams a fee for this believed five-year loan deal for Colapinto, creating an obligation to recover that investment.`
`The fact that it`s limited to just five races is unusual. I suspect the expectation is he will stay for the remainder of the year if he performs reasonably well.`
This initial five-race period is expected to activate lucrative sponsorship agreements and allows Alpine to confirm the anticipated funds are secured.
Was Doohan Unfortunate, and What Are His F1 Career Prospects?
Doohan`s position seemed vulnerable even before his potential F1 race debut in 2024, with Alpine`s signing of Colapinto as reserve driver in January sparking rumors that the Australian`s time was limited.
Against this backdrop, he faced immense pressure to deliver. Although he showed glimpses of speed, two significant crashes and a retirement in Miami weakened his position.
While Alpine describing the change as a `rotation` theoretically offers Doohan a chance of returning, there is speculation that the next opportunity might instead go to Alpine`s other young reserve driver, Paul Aron.
Slater stated, `They have evaluated Jack Doohan. While a return isn`t entirely ruled out, it seems quite improbable for him to be back in a race seat soon.`
`There`s also Paul Aron alongside Colapinto. Aron and Colapinto have each had four tests this season using 2023 equipment, allowing the team to assess their capabilities and readiness for a potential race drive next year (2025).
Chandhok suggests Doohan`s patience in handling the difficult situation created by the team stems from Alpine still representing his most plausible route back to an F1 race seat.
Chandhok commented, `With Cadillac entering F1, there`s certainly a lot of talk about the driver market, but I haven`t heard Jack Doohan being a primary target for any team.`
`I believe his best chance is if Colapinto doesn`t perform well, leading Alpine to potentially give Jack more testing opportunities to further develop.`
Could Oliver Oakes` resignation hide a deeper issue?
Given its timing, most people initially assumed Oakes resigned because he disagreed with Briatore`s decision regarding the driver change. However, this appears not to be the reason.
On Wednesday, Briatore issued a statement asserting that his relationship with Oakes was strong and that the resignation was due to `personal` reasons. Oakes corroborated this in his own statement.
Speaking just before these statements were posted on Instagram, Chandhok shared his suspicions about the situation.
He commented, `I smell a rat. I think there`s something more fundamentally wrong within Alpine.`
`He didn`t quit solely because of a driver decision. He wouldn`t walk away from being one of the top 10 team principals in the sport just over who gets the second seat.`
`Therefore, in my view, more is happening here than has been publicly disclosed.`
Slater added, `All information I`ve received suggests his departure isn`t necessarily connected to the driver change. It might be related to something else entirely.`
`Perhaps the driver change provided a convenient moment for him to step down quietly.`
Is Alpine F1 Experiencing Turmoil?
Alpine has certainly not lacked drama recently; Oakes is the fourth team principal to leave since the beginning of 2021.
Numerous other key figures in technical and executive roles have also departed. Additionally, the team mishandled a potentially excellent driver pairing of Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri, allowing both to leave after the 2022 season.
Despite this instability, Alpine secured €200m (£170m) in investment from a group that included Hollywood celebrities and sports icons like Rory McIlroy and Anthony Joshua.
The 2025 season will be the last year the Renault Group-owned team operates as a full `works` team, as Renault announced last year they would not be manufacturing engines for the 2026 F1 season and beyond.
Chandhok speculated whether the team`s recent moves indicate preparation for a potential sale in the near future, capitalizing on F1`s current popularity.
He asked, `What is their objective? They will no longer be a works team. I suppose they are trying to build the Alpine brand, but it`s not a mass-market car.`
`Justifying the investment based on these numbers is difficult. Are they simply trying to increase the team`s valuation? If so, perhaps they should sell now.`
`If their goal is just valuation, why not sell? Many aspects of this whole situation still don`t make sense to me. I don`t understand the overall strategy.`
Slater concluded, `Perhaps something positive for Alpine will emerge from all this disruption. However, for now, they need to stabilize and move past this period of change.`
Marcus Prine