Jack Doohan’s young Formula One career may have only just begun, but the walls seem to be closing in. Promoted to a full-time seat at Alpine for the 2025 season, the 22-year-old Australian has quickly found himself navigating treacherous waters in the cut-throat world of Formula One. With disappointing performances, increasing competition and behind-the-scenes political manoeuvring, Doohan’s place at Alpine is looking increasingly precarious.

While Liam Lawson’s early-season demotion at Racing Bulls has grabbed the headlines, many insiders continue to whisper that Doohan could be next on the chopping block as the rookie is likely to suffer the same fate.

 

 

Narrow escape – for now

When Red Bull decided to sack Liam Lawson after just two races, many in the paddock felt that Jack Doohan was the more likely candidate for such an early season sacking. However, the rookie narrowly escaped that fate. His reprieve wasn’t exactly cause for celebration either. If anything, Lawson’s abrupt departure served as a brutal reminder of how unforgiving Formula One can be for those who fail to perform from the outset.

For Doohan, the heat had been rising ever since his underwhelming debut at the 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi. Despite being given a valuable opportunity to stake his claim for the 2025 season, Doohan failed to make an impression, finishing 15th with team-mate Pierre Gasly seventh. It was a result that did little to silence his critics, and Alpine’s actions in the aftermath spoke volumes.

Just weeks later the team announced young Argentinian Franco Colapinto as its new test and reserve rider, a move that immediately raised eyebrows. Many took it as a sign that Doohan’s place was far from secure, and the addition of Colapinto to the roster only fuelled speculation that Alpine were already lining up alternatives.

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The Colapinto conundrum

Behind the scenes, Colapinto’s presence looms large. A rising star with strong marketability, especially in the valuable Latin American region, Colapinto offers not only potential on-track talent, but also a strategic asset for Alpine’s parent company, Renault. His management team, keen to keep him in the spotlight, have been actively fuelling speculation in the Spanish press about a possible promotion – suggesting that Colapinto could step in should Doohan falter.

Although Colapinto has a three-year contract with Alpine, it is understood that this can be bought out if the team deems it necessary. The implication is clear: if Doohan doesn’t deliver, someone is already in line to replace him, and Alpine has the mechanism in place to make it happen.

Making matters worse for Doohan is the rumoured performance clause in his contract. According to various reports, Alpine can terminate the contract after just six races if the results aren’t satisfactory. That’s not entirely unusual in F1, but the timing of the clause – coming so early in the season – is certainly aggressive.

Even before Doohan officially took to the track in Alpine colours this season, the team had already begun to consider other options. When Esteban Ocon was unceremoniously benched after the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix to make way for Doohan in Abu Dhabi, some saw the move as a vote of confidence. But it now appears to have been part of a wider strategic reshuffle, possibly designed to position Colapinto for a mid-season switch if necessary.

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On-road problems add to pressure

Unfortunately for Doohan, his results to date have done little to reassure the team or its stakeholders. His 2025 season got off to a rocky start on home soil in Australia, where he qualified well behind Gasly and then retired from the race after a crash. While he showed flashes of pace – most notably in Q1, when he passed Gasly before being caught by a yellow flag – his inability to translate that into a solid result left more questions than answers.

China offered a slightly better performance, at least in qualifying. Doohan edged out Gasly in the sprint shootout, but a poor start saw him fall back immediately. A reckless move on Gabriel Bortoleto late in the race resulted in a 10-second time penalty and two penalty points, further tarnishing his record. Although the incident didn’t change his finishing position – he was already out of the points – it added to growing concerns about his decision-making under pressure.

The following day’s Grand Prix didn’t do much to change the narrative. While Doohan spent a respectable portion of the race defending against Isack Hadjar, he once again went too far. Another aggressive move at the same hairpin saw Hadjar pushed wide, resulting in another penalty for the Australian. Although the disqualifications in front of him helped him to a 13th place finish, it was another weekend dominated by mistakes rather than progress.

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Doohan remains optimistic – but for how long?

Despite the mounting pressure, Doohan has remained publicly upbeat. Speaking after the Chinese Grand Prix, he insisted that there were positives to take away from the weekend.

“The result hasn’t been there yet to really show it, but the inner circle understands and that’s the most important thing,” Doohan told reporters. “The guys in the team are super happy, for sure.”

It was a bold statement – one that could be read as either admirable confidence or naive optimism. After all, his “inner circle” includes hard-nosed figures such as Flavio Briatore, Alpine’s senior advisor, and team principal Oliver Oakes. Both are known for making ruthless decisions when necessary. Whether they really share Doohan’s sense of progress is unknown.

Behind closed doors the discussions are likely to be far less encouraging. With Colapinto waiting in the wings and Alpine under increasing pressure to deliver results, the tolerance for rookie mistakes may soon be wearing thin. In a sport where every tenth of a second counts – and every dollar of sponsorship carries weight – the margin for error is slim.

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Clock ticking on a crucial window

Doohan’s fate could ultimately hinge on his performances in the next handful of races. With rumours of a six-race evaluation window tied to his contract, every session, every lap and every post-race debrief takes on added importance. The team needs to see not just potential, but tangible growth. Avoidable mistakes, penalties and lacklustre results simply won’t cut it – not with Colapinto eager and ready to step in.

It’s worth noting that Doohan’s talent has never really been in question. He’s proven himself in the junior categories, and there are moments – flashes of aggression and pace – that hint at what he could become. But Formula 1 doesn’t wait for drivers to develop at their own pace. Success here is defined not by potential, but by performance. And in that respect Doohan’s account is still firmly in the red.

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Fork in the road

As Alpine enters a crucial phase in its rebuilding process, the pressure to show upward momentum is immense. The team cannot afford to be seen as treading water, let alone regressing. A strong driver pairing is vital to that mission. Pierre Gasly offers experience and consistency. Jack Doohan represents the unknown for the time being.

Whether he remains part of Alpine’s future – or becomes another cautionary tale in the ruthless world of Formula One – will become clear in the coming weeks. For now, the clock is ticking and every race could be his last.

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MORE F1 NEWS – What iff??? the various scenarios for Red Bull in Japan

The Formula One Japanese Grand Prix has never been so eagerly anticipated since its move from the traditional autumn slot on the calendar to springtime with the famous cherry blossom bloom. The Red Bull driver switch, promoting Tsunoda alongside Max Verstappen and the demotion of Lawson to the Racing Bulls will provide a fascinating watch from the very first minute of Friday practice.

A range of scenarios are possible given the VCARB02 has debuted in 2025 in spectacular fashion. For the first time in his career, the Japanese driver has qualified his car in the top ten on three consecutive occasions and each time being way ahead of the number two Red Bull car.

The Racing Bulls should have way more points than their paltry three which is predominantly due to poor tyre strategy choices made by the team in both Australia and China. Despite this, their car looks to have front running pace amongst those outside the top four teams and with rookie Isack Hadjar pulling off a remarkable P7 in qualifying for the Chinese GP, expectations for the season in Faenza are high…. READ MORE ON THIS STORY