It's been a tough start to life in Formula 1 for Jack Doohan.
Now, just six races into the season, Alpine have dropped the Australian driver.
However, there is a potential path back for him.
Jack Doohan demoted by Alpine F1 team
Doohan has lost his seat in F1 ... but possibly only temporarily.
MORE: How many F1 Grands Prix has Oscar Piastri won?
For the next five Grands Prix, reserve driver Franco Colapinto will step in.
The Argentine started in nine races for Williams last year after taking over from the struggling Logan Sargeant.
He will now be given a short stint with Alpine, as the team looks to "rotate" the two drivers.
Colapinto will race alongside teammate Pierre Gasly until July's British Grand Prix, when the team will make a "new evaluation".
Doohan is set to be Alpine's reserve driver until then – a position he held for the previous two seasons.
"As part of an ongoing assessment of its driver line-up, the team has made the decision to rotate one of its race seats for the next five rounds of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship," Alpine said in a statement.
"BWT Alpine Formula One Team therefore announces that Franco Colapinto will be paired with Pierre Gasly from the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, ahead of a new evaluation before the British Grand Prix in July.
"Jack Doohan remains an integral part of the team and will be the first-choice Reserve Driver for this period of time."
After several years in Alpine's academy and two seasons as their F1 reserve driver, Doohan was promoted to a full-time seat following Esteban Ocon's switch to Haas.
He crashed out on the opening lap in Australia – his F1 debut – before damaging the car again during practice in Japan.
Doohan suffered another first-lap retirement in Miami when he collided with Liam Lawson.
A 13th-place finish in China marks his best effort to date with Alpine.
MORE: F1 updated standings
Rumours swirled for weeks that the Australian was at risk of being dropped if he didn't stack up to teammate Gasly, who has amassed seven points so far.
Doohan out-qualified Gasly for the first time this year in Miami.
However, the 22-year-old is one of four drivers on the grid yet to score points in 2025.
The decision to promote Colapinto comes one day after Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes announced his resignation.
Current executive advisor Flavio Briatore will talk over team principal duties for the time being.
Jack Doohan 2025 results
| Grand Prix | Finish |
| Australia | DNF |
| China | 13 |
| Japan | 15 |
| Bahrain | 14 |
| Saudi Arabia | 17 |
| Miami | DNF |