Oakes ‘quite proud’ of ‘punchy’ Doohan amid lingering rumors

Amid lingering rumours about his short-term future in F1, Alpine rookie Jack Doohan has remained calm and composed, a confidence under pressure that has impressed team principal Oliver Oakes.

The early weeks of Doohan’s tenure as a full-time Alpine F1 driver were overshadowed by persistent whispers regarding his future.

Speculation was rife that Alpine's newly-signed reserve driver, Franco Colapinto, could replace the Aussie after just five races should the latter fail to impress, placing significant pressure on Doohan even before the start of pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Still, the son of motorcycle legend Mick Doohan has remained remarkably calm in the face of pressure, giving confident and direct answers when asked about the growing uncertainty surrounding his Alpine contract.

His ability to remain composed in the face of the hearsay not only underscored his professionalism and mental strength, but also highlighted his focus and determination. A behavior that didn't go unnoticed amongst the Enstone team's management.

Oakes Impressed by Doohan's Handling of Pressure

Oakes admitted in Bahrain that Doohan’s poise and pointed reaction when grilled by the media have impressed him.

"He's alright. I think I was quite proud of him being punchy with you all", Oakes reacted to a question from Motorsport.com.

"I actually feel for him because I get that everybody wants the clickbait and that’s a discussion topic.

"But I think he should be given a bit of space to just get on with it for a few rounds."

"No matter what driver you are, in any category, there's pressure", the former karting world champion added.

"It doesn't matter whether that's in F1 or even in the junior categories.

"I think because Franco did a good job last year, he's got a big fan base, so it's natural that people want to talk about that.

"But from the other side, I think, as a team, we're quite lucky to have three reserves who are very good, and that puts us in a strong position."

"And in terms of whether it's nice or kind to Jack, I was pretty open that he's driving a Formula 1 car - that’s every boy's dream, but it’s also his job. And for me, that's pretty simple.

"At the end of the day, like every driver, you’ve got to deliver, but I think he's doing a really good job at blocking out the noise and just getting on with it."

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