Former F1 driver Roberto Merhi believes Jack Doohan's Formula 1 career may be short-lived, with speculation mounting that the Australian could lose his Alpine seat early in the 2025 season.
With Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon confirmed at Williams for now, the team opted to loan promising young driver Franco Colapinto to Alpine in what is reportedly a five-year deal.
However, Williams boss James Vowles has suggested that Colapinto could find himself on the F1 grid much sooner.
"There's a period of time where I expect him to be racing for Alpine," Vowles said.
"The reason we did this is that I really want him to be racing again. For me, Alpine represented the best opportunity for Franco to be a race driver for 2026 and perhaps as early as 2025. That is what was important to me – to give him a good opportunity to have the option to race in the sport, which is what he deserves.
"Alpine is the best chance he has without being with us."
If Colapinto does step into a race seat at Alpine, it would come at the expense of Doohan, who is set to debut as a full-time driver in 2025.
"I don't want to say that it's an attack on Jack," Vowles clarified. "I hope Jack does well, but ultimately Franco is my driver, and I want him to get back on the grid after a while."
While the reported five-year loan deal suggests Colapinto will remain with Alpine for an extended period, Vowles acknowledged that the arrangement is flexible.
"The timeframe is not set in stone, where I can look you in the eye and say that. But I can say that he will return to Williams at some point.
"The most important thing is that he will be an Alpine driver for a number of years."
Many in the paddock believe Doohan will only be given a handful of races to prove himself before Alpine considers replacing him.
"We'll see if Jack Doohan starts the year," Merhi told Spanish radio Cadena Cope.
"But I think he will certainly not be there after five races."
