Last Updated on May 17 2025, 7:45 am
Esteban Ocon’s relationship with Alpine had already frayed by the end of the 2024 Formula One season. But any lingering resentment between the two parties has been reignited following the team’s handling of Ocon’s replacement, Jack Doohan, in the early stages of the 2025 campaign. Speaking to French broadcaster Canal+, the former Alpine driver was unsparing in his criticism of the team’s abrupt decision to drop Doohan after just five Grand Prix weekends.
The Frenchman questioned not only the fairness of the decision, but also its potential long-term consequences for the young Australian’s career.
Ocon, who now drives for Haas, suggested the move was emblematic of a wider trend in F1, where young drivers are discarded too quickly in a sport with unforgiving schedules and limited opportunities. While acknowledging the talent of Doohan’s replacement, Franco Colapinto, he was unequivocal in his assessment: “It’s not normal,” said Ocon. “You can’t expect a rookie to prove everything in five races.
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A rocky handover and an uncertain debut
Tensions over the driver line-up at Alpine have been bubbling under the surface since the end of the 2024 season. At the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Alpine made the unusual decision to bench Ocon for the season finale in favour of Jack Doohan. Initially seen as a gesture to speed up the Australian’s integration, the move came at Ocon’s expense, symbolically severing ties even before the official announcement of his move to Haas.
Doohan’s debut in Abu Dhabi was largely uneventful, but enough to confirm Alpine’s intention to build their future around the young talent. At the start of the 2025 season, Doohan was officially announced as a full-time driver. It was a landmark moment in his career – the culmination of years of work in Formula 2, extensive testing and mentoring by Alpine’s engineering and simulator teams.
But even before the first lights went out in Bahrain, there were signs that Alpine’s commitment to Doohan was less than wholehearted. The announcement in late 2024 that Franco Colapinto would join the team as a reserve and test driver on a multi-year deal raised eyebrows around the paddock. Although presented as strategic depth for the team’s future, whispers began to circulate that Colapinto was being groomed for something more immediate.
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A sudden decision before Imola
By the time the circus reached Europe for the sixth round of the season at Imola, those whispers had turned into full-blown rumours. Then, just days before the race weekend, Alpine confirmed what many had feared: Jack Doohan was out. His place would be taken by Franco Colapinto, who had yet to turn a competitive F1 wheel.
For Ocon, the move came as a shock.
“If I look at it from Jack’s point of view: over five races, I think he has shown a decent pace – things that prove he at least deserves the chance to continue proving himself,” Ocon told Canal+.
While Doohan hasn’t set the world on fire, he has shown flashes of promise and resilience under pressure. More importantly, according to Ocon, he hasn’t been given enough time to grow.
The Frenchman, who has had his own trials and tribulations on the road to F1, empathised with the mental and professional blow that such a decision could deal.
“It’s difficult for him,” said Ocon. “Something like this can destroy a driver’s career.”
A defence of Doohan’s potential
Ocon’s comments were not only a criticism of Alpine, but also a defence of Doohan. Despite the disappointment, Ocon made it clear that he still believes the Australian has a future in the sport.
“I am convinced that his career is far from over. I believe he will return to F1 one day because he has the potential,” he said, offering some encouragement to the 22-year-old who now finds himself without a race seat just weeks into what was supposed to be a breakthrough season.
Doohan’s rise through the junior ranks has been steady and methodical. Known for his technical feedback and work ethic, he had been a loyal member of the Alpine Academy and test programme for several seasons. His 2024 campaign was spent integrating into the race team, gaining mileage through Friday practice sessions and private testing. But all that preparation seemed to count for little when Alpine pulled the plug after five starts.
Ocon, who debuted with Manor in 2016 before stints with Force India, Renault and Alpine, has experienced the ruthless nature of F1 management first-hand. He was briefly out of a race seat himself in 2019 and knows how difficult it is to get back in.
“A lot of people don’t realise that drivers work their whole lives for this moment – and then you only get five races?” he said pointedly.
Criticism of Alpine’s decision
While Ocon was quick to praise Colapinto – describing the Argentine as deserving of an F1 seat – he drew a clear line between admiring talent and questioning the method of transition.
“There are only a few cockpits in F1 and Franco certainly deserves to drive here – but it shouldn’t happen like this,” he said, condemning the nature of the change rather than the identity of the replacement.
It’s not the first time that Alpine has come under scrutiny for its driver management. The team has had a turbulent few seasons, with several high-profile departures, including Fernando Alonso’s acrimonious exit to Aston Martin and Oscar Piastri’s contract saga that saw him leave for McLaren. Ocon’s own departure to Haas was just the latest in a long line of changes that have painted Alpine as a team struggling with internal coherence and long-term planning.
The French manufacturer, backed by Renault, had hoped to stabilise its driver line-up with Doohan and Pierre Gasly. That plan is now in tatters, replaced by another shift as Colapinto is thrust into the spotlight under immense pressure to deliver.
A warning about F1’s unforgiving ecosystem
Ocon’s comments touch on a wider issue in the sport: the increasingly narrow window in which young drivers have to prove themselves. With limited seats and fierce competition from both F2 and global feeder series, rookies often find themselves on a short leash. This trend is compounded by commercial considerations, political influences within teams and sponsor expectations – all of which contribute to the increased volatility of driver tenures.
“Unfortunately, this is nothing new,” admitted Ocon. “But that doesn’t make it right.”
His concern is not just for Doohan, but for the systemic pressures that drive such decisions across the grid.
There’s no denying that F1 is a meritocracy, but it’s also a business and decisions are rarely made on performance alone. Ocon’s comments reflect the reality that even talented drivers can fall victim to circumstances beyond their control.
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Looking ahead: Can Doohan come back?
The question now is what lies ahead for Jack Doohan. Losing a seat mid-season is a huge blow, but it is not necessarily the end of the road. History is full of examples of drivers who have come back stronger from setbacks, including Esteban Ocon himself.
Doohan’s next move will be crucial. He remains well-respected in the paddock and still has links with Alpine, albeit in a different capacity. With reserve and test roles opening up later in the year, particularly with an expanded calendar and potential driver fatigue, a temporary return is not out of the question. And with driver’s contracts always in flux, 2026 may yet offer a route back to the grid.
For now, the spotlight is on Colapinto as he steps into an environment of both opportunity and pressure. For Alpine, the gamble must pay off quickly if they are to silence critics such as Ocon and justify their latest shake-up.
But for those watching closely, the message is clear: even in a sport defined by split-second decisions, some calls leave a longer shadow. And for Jack Doohan, this could be just the beginning of a more complicated – but not necessarily closed – chapter.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
