Alpine’s driver situation continues to be one of the most turbulent in the Formula One paddock, with uncertainty looming over the long-term direction of the team’s line-up. While the focus has been on on-track performance, off-track decisions regarding driver management have been just as dramatic. With Flavio Briatore now playing an influential advisory role, the team’s approach has taken on a more ruthless edge, favouring a fluid, almost cutthroat philosophy when it comes to young talent.

The latest development only reinforces the idea that Alpine is less interested in nurturing driver and more concerned with stockpiling options, even if it means sidelining those once seen as future stars. One name that immediately springs to mind is Jack Doohan.

Despite being touted as the natural successor to a full-time seat, the Australian is now in danger of being lost in the shuffle. He has yet to turn a wheel in a Grand Prix, but the writing may be on the wall: Alpine seems to be looking elsewhere.

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Briatore’s brutal methods

Briatore’s history suggests that this is no coincidence. The Italian has never been one to wait for a driver to develop when a seemingly better option presents itself, and under his leadership Alpine has embraced this philosophy.

The team’s revolving door of reserve drivers, test drivers and junior prospects continues to grow, further diluting Doohan’s chances. What was once a clear path to a race seat now looks more like a dead end, with new faces emerging to fill the gaps.

Now another name has entered the mix, making the landscape even more crowded. While Alpine continues to insist that its approach is about building depth, the reality is that every addition to its ranks makes life harder for the drivers already waiting in the wings.

Doohan was once Alpine’s best bet for the future, but as the team moves forward with yet another name in its growing pool of reserves, it’s clear that nothing is guaranteed in the Briatore era.

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Alpines’ latest driver signing

Alpine continues to expand its roster of reserve drivers, confirming that Indian racing driver Kush Maini will join the team as its fourth official reserve for the 2025 Formula 1 season.

The announcement underlines the team’s strategic approach to securing a deep talent pool, as Maini will share responsibilities with fellow reserves Franco Colapinto, Ryo Hirakawa and Paul Aron.

With Alpine aiming to strengthen its driver development structure, Academy Head Julian Rouse emphasised that having a broad range of reserve drivers allows the team to efficiently distribute the workload throughout a demanding Formula 1 season. He highlighted the addition of Maini as an important step in ensuring the team has sufficient support in all areas.

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Alpine’s multi-driver reserve system

Alpine’s decision to field four reserve drivers is a notable departure from traditional set-ups, where teams typically rely on one or two stand-ins. In addition to Maini, the other reserves include Argentina’s Franco Colapinto, Japan’s Ryo Hirakawa and Estonia’s Paul Aron. All four will be available to step in should any of Alpine’s regular drivers be unable to compete.

In addition to their reserve duties, Maini, Colapinto and Hirakawa will also act as the team’s test drivers, which involves track time in older Formula One cars and operational support on race weekends.

The exact division of responsibilities between the four drivers has yet to be finalised, but Alpine Team Principal Oliver Oakes has confirmed that there will be a structured division of tasks.

Oakes acknowledged that each driver brings different levels of Formula 1 experience, and this will influence their roles within the team. Colapinto, for example, has already competed in several Grands Prix, giving him a slight advantage in terms of real F1 experience. Meanwhile, Hirakawa and Aron will contribute to the team’s testing programme, while also attending races as support staff. Oakes stressed that Alpine’s approach is to maintain balance within the programme, ensuring that the workload is spread evenly between the quartet.

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Kush Maini’s dual commitment: Formula 2 and Alpine

While taking on his new responsibilities at Alpine, Maini will continue to compete in Formula 2 for the 2025 season. This will be his third year in the junior category, which serves as the primary feeder series for Formula 1. Maini made his breakthrough in 2024 with his first Formula 2 race win and will now move from Invicta Racing to DAMS for the upcoming season.

Reflecting on his progress, Maini credited Alpine’s continued support, particularly from Oakes and team advisor Flavio Briatore. He expressed his excitement at the opportunity and stated that he intends to build on the experience he has gained so far and further develop his skills in both Formula 2 and his F1 testing duties.

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Alpine’s expectations for Maini in 2025

Alpine Academy director Julian Rouse has been impressed with Maini’s performance both in Formula 2 and during previous testing in older Formula 1 cars. Rouse noted that Maini has consistently shown promise, with his adaptability and racing skills improving over the past two seasons.

While his best overall results in Formula 2 have been two eleventh place finishes, Alpine believes that 2025 will be a crucial year in his development.

Rouse emphasized that Alpine sees Maini as a valuable part of its driver development pipeline, and his continued growth will be closely monitored throughout the season. The team expects him to make further strides in Formula 2 while simultaneously gaining experience through his Formula 1 testing and reserve driver duties.

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A step towards the F1 grid?

Maini’s new role with Alpine represents another significant step in his career, and his dual commitments suggest that the team see him as a potential candidate for a future seat on the grid.

With Alpine’s current line-up set for 2025, there is no immediate vacancy for a full-time F1 drive, but a strong performance in Formula 2 – combined with the valuable experience gained in his reserve and test role – could position Maini as a contender for a race seat in the coming years.

As Alpine continues to refine its driver development program, the addition of a fourth reserve driver signals a long-term strategy aimed at nurturing emerging talent. For Maini, 2025 represents a crucial opportunity to prove himself on both the Formula 2 grid and within the Alpine Formula 1 set-up, with the ultimate goal of securing a place in the world’s premier motorsport category.

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MORE F1 NEWS – Verstappen and FIA president ‘strange bedfellows’

Max Verstappen is one of the most straight talking amongst the F1 drivers, he says what he thinks and is a dream for the F1 media. The world champion was heavily criticised for his defensive moves against Lando Norris in Austria last year when the pair collided, yet he defended his driving style as within the rules.

Again at the US Grand Prix, he and Norris found themselves arguing over the same piece of track at the end of the long back straight. Norris in fact overtook the Red Bull; drover, but Max knew the rules stated if he claimed the apex of the corner first, he had the right to use all the track on exit regardless of where Norris’ McLaren was positioned.

In the run up to the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem had called on his race stewards to clamp down on bad language used by the drivers, suggesting they were more like rappers than professionals sportsmen. At the opening FIA press conference of the weekend on Thursday, Verstappen described how his car had felt at the previous race weekend in Baku as follows: “As soon as I went into qualifying, I knew the car was fucked.” READ MORE ON THIS STORY