Flavio Briatore denies Alpine’s five-race F1 plan for Franco Colapinto

Alpine team leader Flavio Briatore has contradicted his own squad’s announcement that Franco Colapinto had been promoted to a race seat for the next five Formula 1 rounds from this weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Alpine announced on 7 May that it was replacing Jack Doohan, who had failed to score a single point over the first six grands prix of the 2025 season, with reserve driver Colapinto for the next five races, switching their roles around.

The press release was very clear on this timeline, mentioning “the next five races” and “the next five rounds”, while Briatore was quoted as saying: “Having reviewed the opening races of the season, we have come to the decision to put Franco in the car alongside Pierre for the next five races. […] The next five races will give us an opportunity to try something different and after this time period we will assess our options.”

Now fully in charge of the Alpine F1 team after team principal Oliver Oakes resigned, Briatore has contradicted the statement released just nine days ago.

“I have to say, I also expected more from Jack Doohan – maybe he needs a break,” Briatore told Sky Italy in Imola.

“Franco will race as much as needed. I read somewhere that he’ll have five races, but no, there’s no set limit on his races. He needs to be fast, not crash, and score points. I’m only asking him these three things — not 10. If he does them well, he’ll drive forever.”

Flavio Briatore, Executive Advisor of Alpine F1, Oliver Oakes, Alpine, with Patrick Mahomes

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images

Briatore was also asked about Oakes’ departure and explained: “His resignation came after Miami due to a personal issue, and when it happened, I didn’t expect it either.

“This is a united team. There were rumours that I had argued with Oliver, but that’s not true — we have a great relationship.”

Though he is fully in charge of the Enstone-based squad, Briatore doesn’t hold any specific position or job title, with racing director Dave Greenwood assigned as team representative for administrative purposes.

“Nothing changes — the organisational chart has shifted a bit, but everything else stays the same.

“When it comes to the team principal role, I need to assess the situation… For now, I’m taking charge, but I’m used to that, it’s not my first day at school,” Briatore concluded on a light-hearted tone, having taken the outfit to world titles in the 1990s and 2000s as Benetton and Renault.

Additional reporting by Gianluca D’Alessandro