The 2025 season hasn't even started yet, and things are looking bleak for Alpine's Jack Doohan. The team won't guarantee him a future.
Questions are already being raised about the future of Formula 1 driver Jack Doohan. In fact, the young Australian could be out of Formula 1 before the start of the season.
The 22-year-old Formula 1 driver took over Alpine's vacant seat after Esteban Ocon moved to Haas, but there are already rumours that Doohan has more than a short window to prove his worth in the car.
The rumours of Doohan's exit come despite Auto Motor & Sport previously reporting that he was Alpine's chosen driver. It was reportedly a leak that the team were not particularly happy about leaking to the press.
During the just-concluded pre-season tests in Bahrain, Alpine's team manager Oliver Oakes was asked about the team's new choirs.
Doohan reportedly only has 5 – maybe 6 – races to make up for, before Alpine is getting ready to fire him permanently.
Young Doohan could be a thing of the past before the Formula 1 season begins
Oakes did not confirm whether management is looking to fire him, but the team manager would not rule out the possibility.
– I think he (Doohan, ed.) is doing his job satisfactorily. He has tackled the tests correctly, but in the end, all drivers have to deliver.
Alpine has chosen to sign contracts with an expanded group of reserve drivers this year. In addition to Paul Aron and Ryo Hirakawa, they have also chosen to release Franco Colapinto from his contract with Williams.
A strategy that seems unusual, especially since the team already had two backup drivers, has led many to speculate whether Colapinto is in fact intended as a potential replacement for Doohan.
However, team manager Oliver Oakes initially tries to put a lid on too many of these kinds of questions.
– From the outside it may look like we are putting pressure on Jack by bringing in Franco. But I see it differently.
– There is pressure on all drivers, whether they are driving in Formula 1 or the junior classes. Jack knows he has to perform. But we want to let him focus on his job.
It is still unknown how Alpine intends to use their three reserve cores.
– We have our testing program with the old car, we have a driver who supports the team at the races, and we have a driver on site every weekend.
– They all have to do TPC testing (testing previous cars) so we have a good dynamic in the team, says Oakes.
But he won't elaborate on how much each driver will get to drive in the cars. He does mention, however, that there will be differences between the drivers; Franco Colapinto already has a lot of experience from Grand Prix weekends, Paul Aron has none, and Ryo Hirakawa is somewhere in between.
However, Oliver Oakes will not set specific requirements for Doohan's performance. At least not for open mic.
– I don't want to put any exact limit. We know that some cars are easier to drive than others, so it depends on how he develops.
– Hopefully it won't be necessary to discuss it (a possible firing, ed.)
When Oakes is further pressed to deny rumors that Doohan only has 5-6 lobs to prove himself, he avoids answering directly.
"That's not my idea. We've been open about our plans, and I'd rather just let Jack drive and the team concentrate on their work," he says.
Alpine has undergone significant changes in the past year. The team no longer appears to be controlled by Renault's board to the same extent as before. Renault also no longer supplies engines to the team. Mercedes does.
And with previously banned team boss Flavio Briatore back in an on-paper advisory role, the team's dynamic has changed.
The first race in Australia will be crucial for Doohan's future. If he can match Gasly's performance, he could save his place, but if he falls behind, Alpine may choose to give one of their reserve drivers a chance.
