Driver Loses His Job Mid-Race, Team Informs Him During Miami GP

 Formula 1 never ceases to amaze, and the weekend of the Miami Grand Prix 2025 once again demonstrated the breakneck speed at which the pieces move in this elite sport. While the cars battled under the Florida sun, a piece of news was brewing behind the scenes that would change the course of a driver, reportedly communicated right at the end of the on-track action.

Jack Doohan had been promoted to a full-time seat at Alpine for the 2025 season, a move hastened in part after it was revealed that Carlos Sainz Jr. had opted to join Williams. It was a golden opportunity for the young Australian talent, the culmination of years of effort in the lower categories, ready to tame the car on the most demanding grid in world motorsport.

However, the pressure was already there even before the Australian contested his first race as a full-time driver. Since the end of last year, Alpine's executive advisor, Flavio Briatore, had been exploring the possibility of bringing in Franco Colapinto. The talks aimed to bring the Argentine, who had a standout role as a substitute driver at Williams in 2024, as a reserve and potential starter for the current season.

The situation intensified when Colapinto officially joined Alpine in January of this year. His arrival magnified the pressure on Doohan in preparation for his rookie season. Although the initial plan seemed to place the Argentine in a reserve role with an eye on the future, performance in the early races of 2025 began to rewrite the script.

Throughout the first six events of the calendar, Doohan showed flashes of promising underlying pace, even surprising some within the team with his initial speed. However, his path was also marked by a series of on-track incidents, a toll often paid by rookies as they explore the limits of the car, leaving him without points so far.

The climax of this situation was experienced at the Miami Grand Prix. There, Doohan retired from the Sunday race after an incident at the first corner with Liam Lawson. The irony was not lost: this mishap occurred right after the Australian managed to outqualify his teammate, Pierre Gasly, for the first time this season.

According to The Race, it was precisely after leaving the Miami circuit on Sunday night that Jack Doohan was informed by his team of the intention to make an immediate change in their driver lineup. A direct communication, without anesthesia, that abruptly and suddenly ended his participation in the season.

Reports suggest that Franco Colapinto is the main candidate to replace Doohan starting from the next event at the iconic Imola circuit. Paul Aron, another of Alpine's reserve drivers, is also considered an option by the team to take the seat.