Jenson Button has expressed strong opinions about the recent decision by Alpine to replace Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto during the current Formula 1 season. The change occurred ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, sparking debate about the fairness and regulations around mid-season driver switches. Button emphasized that teams should not be allowed to swap drivers once the season has begun, citing the need for contractual stability.
Details of Alpine’s Driver Change and Its Timing
Alpine announced the replacement after Doohan had competed in only six races of his debut Formula 1 season. The Australian was moved back to a reserve driver role while Colapinto, who started the year as Alpine’s reserve and test driver, was promoted to race alongside Pierre Gasly. This driver shuffle took place just before the race in Imola, Italy, surprising many within the F1 community.
Analysis of Doohan’s Performance and Reactions from Experts
During the Sky Sports F1 broadcast in Monaco, former F1 driver and analyst Karun Chandhok described the move as particularly harsh on Doohan. Chandhok pointed out that despite some minor setbacks, including crashes and unlucky moments with yellow flags, Doohan showed promising speed. He even matched the pace of his teammate Pierre Gasly at times.
“I mean, in some ways it’s really harsh on Jack, isn’t it, because he had flashes of speed. I know he had some shunts, but he was a bit unlucky sometimes with timing and yellow flags and stuff. And there were occasions where he matched Pierre Gasly for pace. And so it did, taking commercial considerations aside, it feels harsh on Jack Doohan.”
—Karun Chandhok, Former F1 driver and analyst
Lead commentator David Croft suggested that the decision was primarily driven by commercial factors.
“I don’t see anything other than commercial considerations in that driver decision.”
—David Croft, Commentator
Jenson Button Advocates for Rule Changes Protecting Drivers
Supporting his colleagues’ views, 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button advocated for stronger regulations preventing teams from changing drivers during an ongoing season. He acknowledged Colapinto’s impressive talent, recalling the Argentinian’s strong results when driving for Williams last year. However, Button stressed that once a driver has a contract, they should be entitled to complete the entire season.
“So I understand if you’ve got him as a test driver that he’s there and he’s willing and ready to jump in. But yeah, it’s very harsh after a few races. I mean, there should be a ruling that you cannot change your driver during a season. It’s like you’ve got a contract, it’s got to run a season.”
—Jenson Button, 2009 F1 Champion
David Croft provided additional context on performance statistics comparing the two drivers this season:
“Unless they’re injured and can’t race or whatever. Just to add to this, average starting position for Jack Doohan this season, 15.5. Average starting position in nine starts for Williams for Colapinto, 16th.”
—David Croft, Commentator
Alpine’s Official Position and Future Plans for Colapinto
Alpine initially announced that Colapinto would occupy the race seat for the next five Grands Prix. Following the sudden departure of team principal Oliver Oakes, Flavio Briatore has stepped into leadership and suggested that there is no predetermined time limit on Colapinto’s tenure in the car.
Implications and Prospects Moving Forward
The surprise mid-season driver switch at Alpine highlights growing tensions over driver contracts and team strategies in Formula 1. Button’s call for a rule change aims to protect drivers like Doohan, who can face sudden displacement despite signed agreements. The evolving situation at Alpine, now under Briatore’s guidance, may influence how other teams approach driver decisions for the remainder of the season. This debate could prompt the FIA to consider clearer regulations preventing abrupt driver changes that destabilize rookie careers and affect competition fairness.
