The French team Alpine has decided to replace Australian driver Jack Doohan with Argentine Franco Colapinto for the next Formula 1 race. In this way, Colapinto will make his debut with Alpine at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, which will take place on the weekend of May 18.
Since the start of the season, Doohan has been under scrutiny due to his lack of results. After six races, the Australian driver has not scored points and has had to retire in two of them, in Australia and in Miami, United States.
Under pressure from the team and fans for a change in his performance, Doohan failed to improve his results, leading the higher-ups of the French team to decide to replace him with Franco Colapinto.
Franco Colapinto, Argentine reserve driver, will return to Formula 1 after his debut last year with the Williams team, where he managed to score points in Azerbaijan and Texas, United States. Colapinto made his debut in the top category at the Monza Grand Prix in Italy last year, finishing in twelfth position.
Alpine is counting on Franco Colapinto to turn around the team's situation this season, which has so far only gained seven points thanks to Frenchman Pierre Gasly. Currently, the team is at the lower end of the table along with Kick-Sauber.