'Haven't put him in the best position': Alpine boss' telling admission about Aussie driver Jack Doohan
Updated . First published at
Alpine F1 Team team principal Oliver Oakes has admitted that the squad's actions have "caused a lot of the noise" concerning Australian Jack Doohan.
In November, rumours began circulating that Alpine was pursuing a different rookie driver in Franco Colapinto to drive for the 2025 season.
Alpine signed Colapinto as one of its reserve drivers for 2025 on a multi-year deal and since then, speculation has run rife that Doohan could be replaced during the season if he fails to stack up against teammate Pierre Gasly.
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Alpine's Jack Doohan. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The son of champion motorcycle racer Mick, Doohan made his F1 debut at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
But during the season-opening Australian Grand Prix last Sunday, Doohan crashed out on the opening lap of his home race.
Speaking to media after the Australian Grand Prix, Oakes admitted that the team had brought much of the pressure weighing on Doohan.
"I think it's fair to say we've caused a lot of the noise, being open," he said.
"I think that we haven't put him in the best position there but I also think, flip it the other way [and] we've got a duty as a team to perform. Nine hundred people depend on us to make the right choice for the team.
"And I think a lot of its circumstance as well, isn't it?
Jack Doohan on track in Melbourne during practice for the Australian Grand Prix. Getty
"We've got four reserves now. As a team, we need to do that because it is right that we've got one eye on the future.
"But I feel for [Doohan], because at the end of the day, probably all that noise was brought on from what we did.
"By the same token, if you're good and you can handle it, you deserve to be in F1.
"At the end of the day, you are one of 20 drivers here and you have to perform no matter what's thrown at you."
The 21-year-old Colapinto emerged as a key piece in last year's driver market puzzle after impressing pundits in his nine grand prix appearances after he replaced axed Williams driver Logan Sargeant.
But while his rookie performances were exciting, three retirements in his last four races, including costly crashes in Brazil and Qatar, meant Colapinto failed to land a seat for 2025 despite huge interest from rival teams.
Franco Colapinto talks with his race engineer on the grid ahead of the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix. Kym Illman via Getty Images
To acquire the Argentine's services during the off-season, Alpine "entered into an agreement" with Williams Racing to take him on loan. The long-term deal is reportedly worth $34 million.
Colapinto has several big-money sponsors, and with F1's popularity exploding in Argentina off the back of his debut, there is scope for his profile to grow further as the country's sole driver on the grid.
"From my side, I think probably if it had been anyone else [but Colapinto] who was signed as a reserve driver, without a big following and all of the noise that comes with that, it would have been slightly different," Oakes said.
"But I think as well, it was probably quite a quiet break. Other than Lewis [Hamilton's] move [to Ferrari], everyone was looking for something to write about.
"But hopefully now, give it a couple more races to just settle down a bit. I think that would just be quite nice as well."
