A Comprehensive Overview of the Alpine Academy’s 2025 Season Performances

Every aspiring driver in the world of motorsport dreams of making it to the pinnacle of racing: Formula 1. Participating in driver academies can significantly enhance their chances of achieving this goal. This article delves into the performances of the drivers associated with the Alpine Academy during the 2025 season, highlighting their journeys, challenges, and accomplishments.

Changes in Leadership at Alpine

The Alpine team experienced a tumultuous year in 2025, marked by significant changes in leadership. In May 2025, Oliver Oakes, who had taken on the role of team principal after founding Hitech, resigned unexpectedly. This left the team in need of direction, prompting Flavio Briatore, the executive advisor, to step in and assume the responsibilities of team principal.

Despite Julian Rouse continuing to lead the Alpine Academy, his recent promotion to sporting director left the academy without a dedicated head for some time. In late November, Carmen Jordá, a former Renault F1 development driver, was appointed to lead Alpine’s F1 Academy program. However, she appears to be primarily focused on the team’s F1 Academy driver, whose identity for the 2026 season has yet to be established.

Driver Changes and Roster Updates

The 2025 season also saw some shifts in the driver lineup. Jack Doohan, an Enstone academy product, was replaced after just six races by Franco Colapinto. Doohan transitioned to a reserve driver role, joining fellow F2 race winners Paul Aron and Kush Maini. With the exception of Ilie Tristan Crisan, no drivers are confirmed for the Alpine Academy roster in 2026.

Current Academy Drivers

• Gabriele Minì (F2, P13)
• Kush Maini (F2, P16)
• Nicola Lacorte (F3, P33)
• Keanu Al Azhari (GB3, P6)
• *Kabir Anurag (Italian F4, P16; E4, P6; Formula Winter Series, P4; GB3, P27)**
• *Nina Gademan (F1 Academy, P6; Formula Winter Series, P15; British F4, P32; F4 Saudi Arabia, P9; Formula Trophy, P14)**
• Ilie Tristan Crisan (Karting, various)
• Sukhmani Khera (karting, various)

*Note: The asterisk indicates that the driver entered no more than 50% of the season.

Gabriele Minì: F2 Prospects

Gabriele Minì made a strong impression during his debut F2 season in 2024, finishing third at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix while substituting for Prema Racing. As he entered his first full season in 2025, expectations were high. The 20-year-old started the season with five consecutive top-10 finishes, showcasing his potential. However, a mid-season slump marred his progress, with five retirements over a span of seven races.

After a challenging stretch, Minì regained his form in the latter part of the season, consistently finishing ahead of his teammate, Sebastián Montoya, in six out of eight races. His performance peaked with a third-place finish in the Abu Dhabi feature race, allowing him to end the year on a relative high note. Nevertheless, his final standing of 13th in the championship, with 72 points, marked his least favorable placement in a full single-seater season.

Looking ahead, Minì will be leaving Prema for the 2026 season, transferring to MP Motorsport, a team that finished fifth in the previous season’s championship.

Kush Maini: A Challenging Year in F2

Kush Maini faced considerable challenges during his third consecutive season in F2, racing for DAMS while also maintaining his responsibilities as an Alpine F1 test and reserve driver. The 2025 season proved to be his toughest yet, culminating in a 16th place finish in the drivers’ standings.

Out of 27 races, Maini only managed to finish inside the points six times. His sole podium came in the Monaco sprint race, marking a highlight in an otherwise difficult season. He accrued a total of 32 points, significantly trailing behind his teammate Jak Crawford, who was the championship runner-up.

For the 2026 season, Maini will be joining ART Grand Prix, marking his fourth team in as many seasons in F2. He will also continue his role as a reserve driver with Mahindra in Formula E.

Nicola Lacorte: A Tough Debut in F3

Nicola Lacorte’s first season in F3 with DAMS was fraught with difficulties. The 18-year-old faced a race ban mid-season due to accumulating too many penalty points on his license, which overshadowed his performances. Despite this setback, Lacorte concluded the season with a best finish of 15th, failing to score any points and finishing 33rd in the standings.

In addition to his F3 commitments, Lacorte participated in two rounds of the IMSA SportsCar Championship’s GTD class, showcasing his versatility. For the upcoming 2026 season, he will remain with DAMS for another chance in F3.

Keanu Al Azhari: A Competitive Season in GB3

Keanu Al Azhari had a notable season in the GB3 championship while racing for Hitech, finishing sixth overall. His journey was marked by several qualifying challenges, often out of his control, which hindered his performance. Despite starting from the back of the grid on multiple occasions, Al Azhari demonstrated resilience, achieving impressive results by charging through the field.

Throughout the season, he secured five podium finishes, including his first victory, which he celebrated during the mid-season rounds in Budapest and Silverstone. Additionally, Al Azhari participated in the GT Winter Series, where he found success with SSR Performance, winning both races he entered.

Kabir Anurag: Busy Season Across Multiple Championships

Kabir Anurag experienced a packed 2025 season, competing in four different championships with US Racing and Xcel Motorsport. He began the year with a strong performance in the Formula Winter Series, finishing fourth overall and capturing two wins along the way.

Anurag’s primary focus was on the Italian F4 championship, where he finished 16th overall. Although he did not claim any podiums, he frequently finished within the top 10. His performances in E4 proved more fruitful, culminating in a sixth-place finish in the standings and two podiums in the season finale at Monza.

Anurag also made appearances in the GB3 Championship, where he achieved one top-10 finish during the final rounds of the season.

Nina Gademan: Rising Star in F1 Academy

Nina Gademan stood out in her second season in single-seaters, competing across five championships. She made her F1 Academy debut with Prema Racing and quickly established herself as a competitive driver, winning the reverse-grid race at Zandvoort and achieving three additional podiums throughout the season.

Gademan also participated in the British F4 championship, finishing 14th in the reverse-grid race. Additionally, she competed in F4 Saudi Arabia, where she secured a double podium in the opening round at Bahrain, solidifying her status as the highest-placed female driver in the championship.

Ilie Tristan Crisan: Karting Development

Ilie Tristan Crisan joined the Alpine Academy in January 2025 with aspirations for future development in motorsport. The Canadian karting driver had a successful year, finishing third in the WSK Super Master Series’ OK-Junior class and competing in the FIA Karting European Championship, where he achieved one victory and secured a fourth-place overall finish.

Crisan also participated in the FIA Karting World Championships, finishing fifth and demonstrating his potential as a rising star in karting. He is expected to continue his karting journey into 2026, with future plans for stepping up to senior karting still uncertain.

Sukhmani Khera: Trailblazer in Karting

Sukhmani Khera, another promising talent in the Alpine Academy, graduated from the Alpine Rac(H)er program in February 2025. The 13-year-old British-Indian racer had a successful start to the season, finishing seventh in the IAME Winter Cup and performing well in the British Kart Championships.

Khera made headlines by becoming the first female driver to win the WM Plate in November, further establishing her presence in the sport. Her competitive spirit was evident as she demonstrated her ability to navigate challenging starting positions and achieve impressive results.

Conclusion

The Alpine Academy’s drivers have exhibited a mix of challenges and triumphs throughout the 2025 racing season. From leadership changes to individual performances, each driver has faced unique obstacles and opportunities as they work toward their ultimate goal of reaching Formula 1. With the upcoming 2026 season on the horizon, the academy’s lineup will certainly evolve, providing fresh prospects and renewed aspirations for these talented individuals.