Vowles: Alpine represents Colapinto's best opportunity without being part of our team.

      A former driver is predicting that Jack Doohan’s nascent Formula 1 career may be cut short in 2025. With Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon currently occupying the Williams race lineup, and the team prioritizing finances over an additional driver, team principal James Vowles has reportedly agreed to a five-year 'loan' of Franco Colapinto to Alpine.

      Vowles has suggested on multiple occasions that a significant aspect of the agreement includes the potential for the talented driver to return to the grid as soon as 2025. "I expect him to be racing for Alpine during a certain period," Vowles stated. "The reason we pursued this is my desire for him to compete again.

      “For me, Alpine offered the best chance for Franco to be a race driver in 2026, possibly as early as 2025. That was my priority—to ensure he has a solid opportunity to race in the sport, which he rightfully deserves. Alpine is his best option outside of our team."

      It’s clear that if Colapinto, 21, occupies the race seat, it will likely be at the detriment of 22-year-old Australian rookie Doohan. "I don’t want to frame this as an attack on Jack," Vowles remarked. "I wish Jack all the best, but ultimately, Franco is my driver, and I am eager for him to rejoin the grid soon."

      Regarding whether the loan to the Alpine team, managed by Flavio Briatore, is genuinely a full five years, Vowles responded: "The timeline isn’t fixed; I can’t definitively assure you of that. However, I can confirm he will return to Williams at some point. The key takeaway is that he will drive for Alpine for several years."

      Many analysts and journalists speculate that Doohan may only be allotted a few races at the start of the 2025 season to prove himself. "We’ll see if Jack Doohan kicks off the season," commented Roberto Merhi, who drove for Marussia in 2015, on Spanish radio Cadena Cope. "But I doubt he will still be around after five races."