Formula 1 pilot Jack Doohan is considered a great bold candidate after his failed start into the season. Now his superior speaks plain text.
The decision about the short -term future of Jack Doohan near Alpine has apparently been made. Team boss Oliver Oakes gave his pilot a job guarantee after the Grand Prix of Japan.
“He stays whatever happens. It’s a clear yes, he is with us,” said Oakes at “Sky”.
Team boss hits the table: leave him alone!
Most recently there had been more speculation and rumors that Doohan could be replaced promptly by substitute Franco Colapinto.
“There is a lot of pressure on him, but he picks up that well,” said Oakes: “Let him in peace!”
Rookie Dohaan looks back on a meager record of the 2025 season. He left Australia at the start, and in China and Japan he missed the points.
Ralf Schumacher had explained after the race that it was not sure that Doohan would be there at the next race. “This will be analyzed from a team perspective. At the moment it is overwhelmed with the situation. You will sit down with him and I’m curious to see what happens,” said the ex-pilot.
A deep blow and moment of terror was the second Japan training on Friday. After a driver error, the alpine pilot crashes violently into the gang.
Alpine later informed about the reason for the violent impact. “It was a misjudgment not to close the DRS flap in curve one,” said team boss Oakes. Opening the rear wing to increase the maximum speed is controlled via the steering wheel. As soon as the driver steps onto the brake for the first time after activation, the flap is automatically closed.
Alpine does it differently than Red Bull
On Friday, Oakes had avoided a concrete statement on the personnel decision.
There was criticism from ex-team boss Franz Tost. “You can’t drive in there so quickly. You have to brake earlier. And you don’t see a delay. For whatever reason. I’m completely surprised. If it was a driving mistake, it was a very serious one,” I told the “ORF”.
Colapinto had been able to sniff Formula 1 air last season and have shown that it is compatible with F1.
At Alpine, the Argentinian is a replacement driver. Unlike Red Bull, who had replaced Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda after just two races, Alpine is now sticking to the driver’s pairing.
The French team is the only one so far without points. The F1-Tross will travel to Bahrain next weekend.