2025 promises to be an exciting and unprecedented season. The most successful driver in history, Lewis Hamilton, will join Ferrari as six rookies enter the mix. The world championship looks wide open ahead of the radical changes promised by the 2026 regulations. Consequently, it will be important to see how the various teams will divide their efforts between 2025 and 2026. Across the grid, balancing these priorities will be a challenge.
Alpine will arrive in Melbourne with a revised organizational chart structure and a Gasly-Doohan duo. However, Flavio Briatore has started the year with a ‘Briatore-style’ move, hiring Franco Colapinto as third driver.
Furthermore, on the driver front, the new addition of Ryo Hirakawa as reserve and test driver, who arrived from McLaren, was also announced.
Doohan returns positive tests but remains ‘under observation’
In recent months, the French team welcomed David Sanchez, formerly of Ferrari and McLaren, as technical director, and in the foreground Flavio Briatore, who became Executive Advisor of the team.
In the weeks that followed, the new team principal Oliver Oakes was announced, after the farewell of Bruno Famin. Founder of the Hitech GP F3 and F2 team, the British driver also brought with him Paul Aron , an Estonian driver who finished third in Formula 2 with the silver team.
With the Italian manager and the new team principal, the Enstone team has found greater competitiveness in the second part of the season after a disastrous start. The official driver pairing for 2025 will be made up of the now veteran Pierre Gasly and the young Jack Doohan.
It was at last season’s Abu Dhabi GP that Doohan made hisF1 debut. The Australian driver has been in Alpine’s orbit for several years and contributed extensively with simulator programs and track tests.
The 2003-born driver did not have the opportunity to rack up a lot of kilometers with the A524 due to adverse weather in FP1 at Montreal and Silverstone. Furthermore, during a series tests at Magny-Cours , the car encountered technical problems, partially compromising the planned programme.
However, to compare Doohan’s performance with Gasly’s on equal terms , Alpine organized a private test in Losail in November. A test that, as Autoracer has learned, proved quite positive for the Australian driver.
Still, this was not enough to cool Flavio Briatore’s spirits regarding Franco Colapinto. Jack Doohan will be closely monitored over the first few rounds.
“I always look for the best options for us. Gasly did a great job last year and we start the new season with him and Jack. But who knows what will happen. With Paul Aron we also have a strong reserve driver under contract,” said Briatore.
During his first visit of 2025 to Enstone, Briatore described Colapinto as one of the fastest youngsters of the future . Heading into round one in Australia, Doohan only has a contract for the first quarter of the season.
Franco Colapinto will be a clear alternative for Alpine in 2025, as confirmed by Briatore himself.
Briatore worked above all to find an economic sense: the Argentine sponsors gave an important hand to the operation
When he announced his Formula One debut during the week of the Monza GP, Franco Colapinto set the Argentine people on fire. TO
true revitalization for Argentine Formula One fans who had not seen a compatriot on the grid of the top series since 2001 when Gaston Mazzacane was on the Minardi
Colapinto attracted huge sponsors and great visibility , especially for Williams. However, the Albon-Sainz duo did not allow the 2003-born driver any real opportunities in the Wantage team. The Argentinean then began looking for a team that could give him a chance during the current season or in 2026.
This is why Flavio Briatore has been testing the waters for months, with various meetings between the Argentinean’s management and the Briatore/Oakes duo, especially at the end of 2024.
These talks culminated with offering Colapinto a contract as third driver with a promise: to put him in the car during the current season if Doohan’s performances were not good.
“We have one of the most formidable driver lineups on the grid for 2025 and beyond, with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, so we believe this agreement with Alpine represents Franco’s best chance of securing a race seat in 2025 or 2026,” said James Volwes in the last few hours.
This is a real deal for Alpine , who is hiring a driver who has shown clear talent in F1. Combined with a significant economic boost from the Argentine’s sponsors and the excellent visibility that the South American people will guarantee Alpine, Colapinto is a huge asset.
Flavio Briatore tempted the Argentine already when he was being watched by Red Bull, for a seat in Racing Bulls. However, the price that Williams set to sign Colapinto was always an obstacle.
The Grove team is linked to many sponsors brought by Argentina. These sponsors have obviously been integral to Colapinto’s F1 journey and latest Alpine deal. The 21-year-old’s will remain at Williams whilst allowing Colapinto to move to Alpine, satisfying all parties. James Vowles’ team will also maintain ties with some sponsors beyond 2025.
This operation, in Briatore style, combines sporting, economic and media sides.
It is no coincidence that the manager from Verzuolo immediately published an Instagram video, from the departing plane, which announced with great fanfare the signing of Colapinto.
Hirakawa announced as reserve and test pilot
Alpine has not only concluded the Colapinto operation, but has already announced who will join Paul Aron as a simulator driver and test driver for 2025, namely Ryo Hirakawa. Hirakawa will take part in several TPC (Test Previous Cars) tests with cars from past seasons, starting with the A523.
He will also take part in FP1 at Suzuka , in front of his home crowd. The Japanese driver was a protagonist in the WEC in 2022, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Toyota and two world championships in 2022 and 2023. Furthermore, the Japanese driver has not only raced in Superformula and the SuperGT championship, but has also tested several Formula One cars.
During 2024, he was a reserve driver for McLaren, taking part in two tests – Imola and Le Castellet – and FP1 in Abu Dhabi. Subsequently, in post-season testing he was at the wheel of the Haas, which confirms the increasingly strong bond between the American team and Toyota.
Hirakawa will be crucial for the Enstone team in the development of the A525 and the new simulator , providing important feedback, strong in the feelings and experiences of past driving of the cars of Haas and McLaren:
“It is an honor to join the Alpine family as a test and reserve driver for the 2025 season. As always, the opportunity to drive Formula One cars on track is the pinnacle for racing drivers,” said Hirakawa.
Team principal Oliver Oakes also expressed satisfaction with the hiring of the 1994-born driver : “ His role will be important in providing the team with support in various areas of development through our TPC program and simulator work. We look forward to welcoming him to the team.”