Alpine driver Jack Doohan has issued a firm riposte to questions about his long-term Formula 1 future after Franco Colapinto joined the team as a reserve driver over the off-season – pointing out he was in the Argentine’s exact position a year ago.
Alpine signing temporary 2024 Williams driver Colapinto as one of its reserves this year added fuel to rumours that suggested Doohan only has a few races confirmed with the Enstone-based squad this season.
This is reminiscent of talk in the F1 paddock about ex-Williams driver Logan Sargeant possibly being replaced early last year, well before Colapinto eventually got his seat.
However, in Doohan’s case, the 22-year-old has started just one F1 race – a surprise one-off at the end of the 2024 campaign in place of Haas-bound Esteban Ocon.
Doohan has since pressed on with the usual off-season preparation ahead of making his full F1 bow in 2025 after he spent the early part of the European winter back home in Australia.
He is said to have already formed a strong bond with new team-mate Pierre Gasly – with the pair attending the Autosport Awards last month sporting identical buzzcuts and joking with each other throughout the evening.
But as they appeared in front of the F1 press corps for the first time together as full Alpine race drivers ahead of the F175 event at London’s O2 arena, it was clear that Doohan had a plan to address the Colapinto rumours.
When asked if the reserve driver’s deal – which was unusually announced as a multi-year arrangement with Williams back early January – added extra pressure going into his full rookie season, Doohan replied: “No.
“I've been told he's a reserve driver. And I think, regardless, you're one of 20 Formula 1 drivers in the world. I know when I was a go-karter [and] in Formula 3, Formula 2 – I would do anything to be in Formula 1 and sacrifice everything.
“I don't think necessarily, if it's someone inside the team, outside the team, anyone that's performing well, you're always going to have pressure on your shoulders because you're in such a cut-throat sport.
“But whatever pressure there may be, I look forward to enjoying that – embracing it and just enjoying my Formula 1 season.”
Doohan then gave short-shrift to an immediate follow-up question on the same topic – the Australian initially questioning the framing with a withering “is that a question?” – that asked if he felt undermined by Colapinto’s presence at Alpine as a “21-year-old reserve driver with a long-term contract”.
He then pointed out, politely but firmly, that he had been in Colapinto’s exact position the previous year, plus before that McLaren star Oscar Piastri.
“I was a 21-year-old reserve driver last year,” said Doohan. “With a long-term contract. But no, I don't. Maybe I should? I don't know. I don't really understand that as a question, but yeah, definitely not.”
An Alpine press attache then shut down a third question on the topic, which Autosport understands was part of the team’s pre-press conference plan to only allow two questions on the subject.
This demonstrates that it is a hot topic for the French outfit, which has also signed Toyota World Endurance driver Ryo Hirakawa as cover for the 2024 campaign.
Autosport understands this is because Hirakawa has been presented with his current Alpine deal being framed as a real chance to earn a race drive in 2026.
This suggests Colapinto has been offered at least the same, if not the possibility of driving earlier, which overall amps up the pressure on Doohan before the upcoming season has even started.
Gasly, after all, is key to the team’s long-term future and produced one of his best season’s since he clinched a win and podiums for AlphaTauri back in 2020-2021.
But while this appears to be a perilous position for Doohan – Alpine team boss Oliver Oakes has already insisted he would get a "fair chance" to impress.
And the team’s plan and actions in facing the media at the O2 on Tuesday also demonstrate that, right now at least, it is not going to hang Doohan out to dry.
Gasly, for his part, said in a session with French media that “I know Jack and I want him to do the best he can”.
“I know he's a great person and a great driver; I've seen him develop and we've given him his chance,” he added. “I won't comment any further. As a rookie, it's never easy to get into F1, and there's no need to make things more complicated than they need to be.”
Gasly’s support is also reminiscent of how he gelled well with Yuki Tsunoda during their time as team-mates at what is now called the Racing Bulls squad, as Tsunoda initially struggled to adapt to life as an F1 driver.
He has since gone on to secure his place at Racing Bulls and, although there is little chance he will get promoted to the senior Red Bull team, has completed four full seasons despite the risk to his position within a programme that famously offers little reassurance for drivers.
