Formula 1 News: Is Jack Doohan’s Position Safe at Alpine?

Jack Doohan’s early-season mishaps put his position at Alpine under threat, especially with the arrival of Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver for the team.

However, the fact that he has shown glimpses of potential has given him until mid-season to prove himself, despite Alpine having an option to replace him by May’s Miami Grand Prix.

Doohan is among three other drivers still to get points on the board in the driver standings this season, with Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes’ Fernando Alonso, Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls Honda RBPT, and Kick Sauber Ferrari’s Gabriel Bortoleto. US F1 fans can find odds via PokerStrategy’s review of offshore sportsbooks for bettors of around 8/1 for Doohan to get off the mark at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.

While Doohan’s position looks secure for the short term, he will have to start putting in more impressive performances and realize his potential before he gets cut.

The rookie driver has been involved in a few unfortunate incidents early in his Alpine career, having crashed during the first lap in Australia, incurred penalties following collisions in China, and been involved in an accident while practicing in Japan. The cost of these incidents in monetary value, as well as loss of confidence, could easily have seen the 22-year-old crumble.

However, the Alpine team must be commended for supporting the young driver when it might have been easier to cut him loose. His excellent attitude, his partnership with Pierre Gasly, and his ability to work so well in the team have given him some extra time to prove himself. The team will be hopeful that any mistakes already made this season will be part of his learning curve and help to develop a better and more rounded driver.

The pressure from these high-profile errors will be tough for Doohan to shake off, and the fact that Argentinian Franco Colapinto is waiting in the wings won’t help. At 21, Colapinto is another promising young F1 driver with bags of potential and has been on Alpine’s radar for a while.

While he was still with Williams, Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore showed interest before he was signed as a reserve in January. By is time, Doohan had already featured at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, guaranteeing him a 2025 start. Colapinto didn’t come to Alpine with cast-iron guarantees that he would have a race seat quickly, but the potential was there.

Other reasons that Colapinto is in a strong position at the moment include the attention and sponsorship his signing has brought from South America. He secured a race seat; it is likely that this would be amplified and benefit the Alpine team from both a marketing and financial point of view.

Race fans will be interested to see how Doohan handles this added pressure and whether he continues to receive the support of the Alpine team. Getting some points on the board sooner rather than later will be a priority for the young driver, and he will hope to build from there.

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