Jack Doohan has been permanently released by Alpine after being initially dropped last May.
The 22-year-old Australian waited patiently for his F1 opportunity at the Renault-owned team, having signed onto Alpine’s academy in 2022, and was handed a 2025 spot on the grid alongside Pierre Gasly.
Yet after early crashes in Australia and Japan, Doohan was under pressure from the get-go, and the off-season signing of Franco Colapinto from Williams made a change from de facto team boss Flavio Briatore somewhat inevitable.
Indeed, Doohan was brutally axed after just six races in 2025 with Colapinto taking the seat from Imola onwards. Despite the Argentine failing to register a point all season, he has retained his spot for the upcoming campaign.
Doohan dropped back into a reserve role but with no second chance in the offing, the team have reached a “mutual agreement” to “allow him to pursue other career opportunities.”
It is widely expected that Doohan will join the Japanese single-seater championship Super Formula, though that has not yet been confirmed after the Aussie crashed three times at the same corner during a test in Suzuka last year.
Alpine have retained Estonian driver Paul Aron as their reserve and he is next in line should Colapinto’s performances not improve. Alpine finished last in the constructors’ championship last season.
The Alpine statement in full read: “BWT Alpine Formula One Team confirms it has reached a mutual agreement with Jack Doohan to not continue his driving services with the team for the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship season and allow him to pursue other career opportunities.
“Jack became the first member of the Alpine Academy to graduate into a race seat with the team when he made his grand prix debut at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“The team would like to thank Jack for his commitment and professionalism to the team for the past four years, both on and off track, and wishes him all the best for the future.”
The 2026 F1 season starts on 8 March with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Alpine launch their 2026 car in Barcelona on Friday, 23 January.
