In the company of Paul Aron, over the course of last weekend, Franco Colapinto lapped the track at Monza behind the wheel of the A523. Could this be a clue to Jack Doohan’s future?
A shadow looms behind Jack Doohan – one of the six rookies of the 75th Formula 1 season – in the form of Franco Colapinto, a potential contender for a return to the premier racing category. The young South American driver had made his debut with Williams last season, immediately catching the attention of Flavio Briatore. The Italian businessman reportedly paid handsomely to have Colapinto – released from Williams to make way for Carlos Sainz coming from Ferrari – added to Alpine’s roster of reserve drivers. This move was seen as a precaution in case the son of racing legend Mick Doohan underperformed – a move that shook the paddock at the start of 2025.
Colapinto’s presence has become increasingly pressing for the young Australian, especially after his mistake during the second free practice session in Suzuka, where he crashed into the barriers at turn 1 at 330 km/h. He had failed to manually deactivate the DRS in that section – a costly oversight.
For this reason, Colapinto’s recent Testing Previous Car (TPC) session with Alpine at Monza – the very track where he first drove as an official F1 driver – did not go unnoticed. The event has fueled further speculation that the Australian rookie could soon part ways with the Enstone-based team.
As reported by Motorsport Italia, the former Williams #43 ran “setup and familiarization laps in the morning, qualifying simulations before lunch, and a long run in the afternoon” on April 6th. The same schedule was followed on Saturday by Paul Aron, another Alpine reserve driver, also participating in TPC sessions at Monza.
The results – likely influenced by Colapinto’s greater experience in an F1 car – showed the Argentine half a second quicker over a single lap and 0.7 seconds faster per lap in race pace compared to the Estonian. However, a lock-up at the Ascari chicane sent him off track, damaging the floor of the A523 and forcing him into a long pit stop. He completed only 3 of the 5 planned long runs, covering 540 km versus Aron’s 650 km. Also present at the Italian circuit were Luke Browning and Victor Martins, both with Williams.
Photo: Alpine F1 Team.
