Bernie Ecclestone has acknowledged that Jack Doohan's confirmed Formula 1 seat with Alpine for 2025 may be at risk.
Since Franco Colapinto took over Logan Sargeant's Williams seat mid-season, the young Argentine has impressed the F1 community with his performances, charisma, and appeal to commercial backers from Argentina.
Although he remains contracted to Williams' driver program, he currently lacks a race seat for 2025 due to the impending arrival of Carlos Sainz.
Red Bull has shown interest in Colapinto, but Williams boss James Vowles reportedly set a $20 million release fee — an amount that Red Bull has declined to pay.
However, one of Colapinto's managers, Maria Catarineu, mentioned there are other avenues available.
"Everyone knows that there are many teams that want to see Franco in Formula 1 next year," she told Campeones.
When asked to rate Colapinto's chances of securing a 2025 seat, she confidently replied, "On a scale of one to ten? Twenty. So many people want this, so it is only fair that it happens."
One possibility involves Alpine's executive advisor Flavio Briatore, who, along with his business partner Ecclestone, is interested in Colapinto's potential.
Ecclestone, 94, revealed to Blick that Briatore called him to discuss placing Colapinto in an Alpine seat for 2025. The $20 million release fee for Colapinto is reportedly "no problem" for Briatore, despite Alpine's confirmed lineup of Pierre Gasly and rookie Jack Doohan.
According to Auto Bild, Doohan's contract with Alpine only guarantees him a seat for the first five races of the 2025 season.
Ecclestone suggested that even this agreement might not hold.
"In Formula 1, anything is possible. Until the money is in the bank," he remarked.
In a separate revelation, Ecclestone shared that he persuaded Sebastian Vettel to reconsider plans for an F1 comeback.
"I had to talk him out of his comeback dreams," he said. "Why should a four-time world champion put himself through that?"
