Since making his Formula 1 debut at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Jack Doohan has faced mounting media scrutiny—pressure that has only intensified with Alpine’s decision, reportedly influenced by chief advisor Flavio Briatore, to sign Franco Colapinto as a reserve, prompting questions about Doohan’s long-term standing within the team and forcing Team Principal Oliver Oakes to publicly reaffirm Alpine’s support for the young Australian.
Oakes backs Doohan despite Colapinto rumours
Doohan’s recent outing in Suzuka added further pressure. He crashed during Free Practice 2 after entering Turn 1 with the DRS still open, having failed to deactivate it. He subsequently lost control of his A525. Doohan faced further disappointment in Qualifying, finishing near the bottom of the timesheet.
However, despite starting 19th, Doohan recovered to finish 15th in the race—an encouraging step forward under difficult circumstances. Still, the result did little to quiet critics.
Alpine Team Principal Oliver Oakes has publicly backed the Australian. Speaking to Sky Deutschland, Oakes acknowledged the noise surrounding Doohan’s position but emphasised the team’s continued support.
“We know there’s a bit of unrest around Jack’s position, but he’s working well,” Oakes said. “So far it’s been ok. He’s staying calm and focusing on himself.”
When asked about Colapinto’s arrival, Oakes was clear: “There are a lot of rumours about Franco, but at the moment we’re happy.”
However, Oakes also underscored the high expectations within Formula 1: “Every driver in Formula 1 has to perform. They know that. You always have to decide what’s best for the team.”
Doohan showed signs of resilience at Suzuka. While not a points finish, his climb through the field marked notable progress in a high-pressure situation.
Ralf Schuhmacher critical of “overwhelmed” Doohan
However, not everyone shares Oakes’ view of Doohan’s performance. Former Formula 1 driver and current Sky Deutschland pundit Ralf Schumacher offered a blunt assessment of Doohan’s form.
“[Doohan] makes a lot of mistakes and is not fast enough,” Schumacher said, reflecting on the 2025 F1 Japanese Grand Prix. “One more thing happened this week—Ryo Hirakawa got into the car during first practice and was immediately on par with Pierre Gasly. Then Doohan gets in and makes this fatal mistake. This will definitely be analysed from the team’s point of view.”
Schumacher didn’t hold back, adding: “At the moment, he’s overwhelmed by the situation. The team will sit down with him, and I’m curious to see what happens next. He’s not even sure to be at the next race.”
These growing doubts surrounding Doohan’s place in Alpine’s driver lineup are not without merit. Recently, Alpine conducted TPC (Testing of Previous Car) sessions in Monza with Franco Colapinto behind the wheel. While the official purpose of the test remains unclear, it allowed an evaluation of Colapinto’s performance in an Alpine race car—something which could become valuable if Doohan continues to struggle behind the wheel of the A525.
As the pressure mounts, and despite the show of support from team boss, Oliver Oakes,, Doohan finds himself at a career crossroads, with internal competition at Alpine rising, most notably in the form of Franco Colapinto, and external criticism intensifying.
