A Driver Swap, a Team Principal Resignation and an Arrest Plague Alpine

Plus: The FIA president has a new potential election opponent and Ferrari juggles two spotlight drivers

May 09, 2025

Welcome to The Undercut, a weekly newsletter round-up of the top storylines in racing brought to you by your favorite motorsport and enviro journo, Olivia Hicks. If you’re wondering “What the f*** is Formula 1?” Ask away! Leave a comment or send me a message with your burning questions.

Doohan Goes Down Under

Jack Doohan at his home race. Photo via Alpine.

Alpine hasn’t made much noise on track in the past two years apart from the odd podium here and there. Off track, however, the French team has continued to make headlines — from introducing a new investment format funded by professional athletes and celebrities to driver rivalries to Renault pulling out as its engine supplier.

Just six races into the 2025 season, Alpine strays behind the rest of the field in ninth place in the standings but takes the top prize for controversy.

On Tuesday, Alpine announced team principal Oliver Oakes resigned. The 37-year-old joined Alpine in August 2024, jumping up from his role as Hitech Grand Prix team principal in the junior series.

Flavio Briatore, Alpine’s executive advisor, replaced Oakes on Tuesday. Briatore, who once had a lifetime ban from Formula 1, returned to the sport in 2024. The former Renault team principal was accused of directing Nelson Piquet Jr. to deliberately crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to aid teammate Fernando Alonso. Known as “Crashgate,” the event is considered one of the most controversial cheating scandals in Formula 1 history.

Just 12 hours after Oakes left the team, Alpine announced Franco Colapinto would replace rookie driver Jack Doohan. Whispers have circulated for months about the brevity of Doohan’s contract. After the Australian driver’s early retirement to the garages at Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix following a bad luck streak, his fate seemed sealed. Colapinto replaced American driver Logan Sargeant at Williams last season and finished the season with five points to his name.

Fans and analysts alike were quick to connect the dots between the two departures. On Thursday, however, news broke that Oakes’ brother, William Oakes, was arrested and charged with “transferring criminal property.” Oakes’ brother served as the director of Hitech Grand Prix and was stopped by police last week at Silverstone Park in the UK with a “large amount of cash,” according to The Telegraph. Oakes continues to own 75 percent of Hitech Grand Prix. Those shares were previously owned by Dmitry Mazepin, a Russian oligarch whose son competed in Formula 1. Mazepin was forced to pause business in the UK following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Carlos Sainz Sr. Considers FIA President Bid

Carlos Sainz Sr., current Williams Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz’s father, has announced he is considering running for Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) president. The 63-year-old rally car champion told Motorsport.com on Wednesday that he was “in the process of figuring out how much support I will get from the community of motorsport,” ahead of the December election. He denied there would be a conflict of interest with having a son in the sport.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem currently holds office and has come under fire, including other motorsport governing bodies threatening legal action against him, for a lack of transparency. Several high-ranking figures have left the FIA in recent months following a change in ethics and audit standards.

Ferrari’s Star Driver Dilemma

When Lewis Hamilton sent the sporting world into collective shock in February 2024, announcing his switch to Ferrari after 12 seasons wearing the Mercedes logo, the prospect of the seven-time world champion paired up with Charles Leclerc was almost too good to be true. It turns out shiny, beautiful things can crack under pressure.

On Sunday, Ferrari was sliced by the double-edged sword of having two No. 1 drivers. Both Hamilton and Leclerc have expressed frustration over a slow car and poor strategy since the season opener in Melbourne. At the Miami Grand Prix, not much improved. Hamilton was stuck behind his teammate and repeatedly made calls to the team for a swap: “You meant me to just sit here the whole race?” He reminded the Italian team of his self-imposed swap in China when Leclerc was faster. The British driver continued to lose his patience over the radio, claiming that it wasn’t “good teamwork” and that the team should “have a tea break while you’re at it.” When the position swap was issued, Leclerc took his turn to complain over the radio about being stuck behind the other Ferrari. The two finished seventh and eighth with Leclerc ahead.