Jenson Button Discusses the Impact of Driver Changes in F1

Formula 1 legend, Jenson Button, has expressed his views on the recent driver changes within teams, specifically focusing on Alpine‘s decision to replace Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. During a discussion on Sky Sports F1, Button shared his thoughts with former F1 driver-turned-analyst Karun Chandhok and lead commentator David Croft.

Alpine’s Decision to Replace Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto

The French team opted to replace Doohan after just six races of his rookie season, announcing the change ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. As a result, Doohan moved back into the reserve driver role, while Colapinto, who signed with Alpine as reserve and test driver at the start of the year, took his place alongside Pierre Gasly.

Chandhok argued during the broadcast that it was “harsh” on Doohan, stating that there were occasions where he matched Pierre Gasly for pace. Croft added that he saw only commercial considerations in the driver decision. Button agreed, claiming that if a driver has a contract, they should be able to compete in the whole season.

In the announcement from Alpine, the French team explained that Colapinto would be in the seat “for the next five races.” However, Flavio Briatore, who has assumed the responsibilities of team principal after the shock exit of Oliver Oakes, has since claimed that there is “no set limit” for Colapinto.

Jenson Button’s Opinion on Driver Changes During a Season

Button explained his viewpoint, stating, “I totally agree. I mean, Colapinto was extremely quick when he jumped in the Williams last year and immediately pulled out some strong results.” He continued, “But yeah, it’s very harsh after a few races. I mean, there should be a ruling that you cannot change your driver during a season. It’s like you’ve got a contract, it’s got to run a season.

Croft concluded the discussion by mentioning Doohan’s average starting position for the season (15.5) and Colapinto’s average starting position in nine starts for Williams (16th).