F1 Driver ‘Set to be Sacked’ After Miami GP With Replacement Lined Up

We’re just a quarter of the way through the 2025 Formula 1 season, with no shortage of entertainment in the opening six races.

We’ve already seen one change to the driver line-up, with Liam Lawson demoted from the Red Bull seat following disappointing outings in the first two races of the season. And now it looks like another move is in the works ahead of the next round at Imola.

The ruthless nature of the sport was on full display earlier this season, when Lawson was barely given time to settle into his new role as Max Verstappen’s teammate before being ousted in favour of Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese driver has been told that his seat in the Red Bull car is secure until the end of the season, but the team will offer no assurances beyond that.

Mid-Season Driver Swap Rules in F1

Other teams are free to follow Red Bull’s lead

FIA rules allow teams to change drivers at any point during the season, provided the change is ratified by the stewards before a session begins. Driver swaps can occur at any time, although they are usually completed during a break in the F1 calendar to try and keep disruption to a minimum.

The major reason why more swaps aren’t seen is that drivers are almost always under exclusive contracts to their current team. Red Bull were freely able to make the mid-season switch from Lawson to Tsunoda as they own the Racing Bulls team that Yuki previously drove for.

Teams are, though, able to call upon their reserve drivers, which is exactly what Alpine are poised to do. While one Aussie driver, Oscar Piastri, has been the standout driver to this point of the F1 season, one of his compatriots has struggled to find consistency in his debut season.

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​​​​​Alpine are reportedly ready to move on from Jack Doohan following an underwhelming start to his F1 career. According to RacingNews365, a driver swap is in the works, with former Williams driver Franco Colapinto in line to replace the Australian rookie.

Since making his debut, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for Doohan, who has failed to score a point for the French team. The Miami Grand Prix will seemingly be the final nail in the coffin for the 22-year-old, whose race ended on lap 1 following a collision with the previously mentioned Liam Lawson. Patience has worn thin with the rookie driver, and despite the short time he has had in an F1 car, it doesn’t look like he will be given the time to turn things around.

What Has Been Said About Possible Switch

It’s looking more and more likely a change will be coming, despite previous comments

When asked before the Miami GP about Doohan’s future at Alpine, team principal, Oliver Oakes, denied rumours of an imminent switch, saying: “We’ve been pretty open as a team that that’s just noise. Jack needs to continue doing a good job. But it’s natural that there’s always speculation there.”

Following the latest disappointment on Sunday, however, it now looks increasingly likely that a change will be made. Colapinto impressed in the Williams seat last season despite scoring just five points in his nine outings. The Argentine has long been admired by Alpine’s executives, and at just 21, he has already shown an ability to compete for points with lesser machinery.

Alpine will be desperate for a turnaround in form with just seven points scored so far this season. At their current rate, they will finish with half the tally they reached last season, calling their decision to release Esteban Ocon into question. While Doohan is a promising young talent, the inconsistency and lack of positive results mean a change to the driver line-up looks inevitable.

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