Ex-F1 driver and Sky Sports F1 consultant Anthony Davidson has urged Alpine rookie Jack Doohan to "make himself irreplaceable" at the Enstone-based team to avoid losing his seat to Franco Colapinto, the French outfit’s reserve driver.
Doohan, the son of motorcycle legend Mick Doohan, steps into a full-time F1 seat this year alongside Pierre Gasly after making his debut at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
While his promotion to a race seat signals confidence in the young Australian, the arrival of Colapinto, who is highly rated by Alpine’s senior management, undeniably leaves Doohan little room for error.
Davidson Warns of Immediate Pressure
Davidson has expressed concern over the situation Doohan finds himself in, with minimal margin for mistakes as he prepares for his rookie campaign. Speaking on Sky Sports, the Briton highlighted the pressure the 21-year-old Australian faces.
“Jack Doohan had been patiently waiting for a race seat at Alpine since his F2 days and finally got that chance to line up on the grid at the final race in Abu Dhabi last year in preparation for this season.
“But not long after he had signed, Colapinto arrives on the scene, putting immediate pressure on his shoulders even before we get to the first race.
“It’s obviously not an ideal situation to be in. There will certainly be no time to ease himself in as Doohan will be looking to cement his position in the team and make himself irreplaceable.”
Montoya: The Decision has Already been Made
Colapinto, who was previously a member of the Williams Driver Academy, was brought into Alpine’s fold following his impressive F1 debut with the Grove-based outfit at the end of last season, when he replaced Logan Sargeant.
Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore subsequently went out of his way to pry Colapinto away from Williams, with the two parties ultimately sealing a deal.
Davidson’s fellow veteran F1 colleague, Juan Pablo Montoya believes that the die is cast regarding Doohan’s fate, and that it’s only a matter of when not if the Australian drivre is replaced by Colapinto.
©Alpine
“The difficult thing about Doohan is that from the outside it seems like the decision has already been taken,” Montoya told AS Colombia.
“I think it will happen. I think Formula 1 saw how important [Colapinto’s impact] is and Formula 1 in the background is already helping for that to happen. That is super interesting.
“We were talking about the opportunities at Alpine, the drivers in the academy, the drivers in F2, in F3, very good drivers.
“Franco was at Williams, in the Williams academy and suddenly has a chance to race now.
“Now, none of those drivers in F2 will get the seat, it will be Franco.”
Davidson and Montoya’s opinions paint a challenging picture for Doohan. The 22-year-old apprentice must now prove his worth on track, and demonstrate the talent and consistency that will convince Alpine to keep him in his coveted seat.
The pressure is on, and Doohan will need to deliver exceptional performances to secure his long-term future with the team.
Read also: Gasly sets ambitious but ‘achievable’ target for Alpine in 2025
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