08/04/2025
NEWS STORY
Argentine's test outing at Monza sparks further speculation over Jack Doohan's future at Alpine.
The Australian's cause wasn't helped when he crashed out in second practice on Friday after admitting making a mistake and not closing his DRS as he headed into the opening corner at 180 mph.
No sooner had the Alpine hit the barriers than social media sprung to life with claims that the Australian should be dropped in favour of Franco Colapinto.
Of course, the Australian's cause wasn't helped by the fact that he was forced to sit out opening practice as his car was handed over to Ryo Hirakawa - who just 48 hours later defected to Haas - meaning that he went into qualifying with just 28 laps under his belt.
Having qualified 19th he finished the race in 15th, having made a couple of the race's few overtakes. Furthermore, he finished just two places behind his vastly more experienced teammate, Pierre Gasly, who has hardly set the world alight this season.
After finishing the race, footage on social media revealed Doohan having to be helped from his car, and initially limping as he walked away from the Alpine, prompting speculation that he may have incurred an injury on Friday.
At which point pictures emerged of Colapinto driving an Alpine at Monza, prompting fans of the Argentine to speculate that a driver change was incoming.
In fact, the youngster was taking part in the French team's latest TPC (Testing of Previous Cars), and while he drove the car on Sunday, fellow reserve driver Paul Aron had been in action on Saturday.
The timing of the test was, we are told, purely coincidental.
Despite being unaware of the Monza test, the Sky team spent much of the weekend on Doohan's case, that's when they weren't speculating over the futures - or lack of them - of various other drivers including Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda and Lewis Hamilton...
Speculation over the second Alpine seat, which Doohan insists isn't getting to him, has hardly been helped by the man forever pulling the strings somewhere or other, puppet-master Flavio Briatore.
However, the Italian insists he is not seeking to put undue pressure on anyone, just that he wants the best results for the team.
"I try to make sure the team has the best possible drivers," he said. "If it's Colapinto, Jack, Paul, I don't care.
"I'm not a killer," he insisted, "I just want to have the best drivers possible.
"I've been representing Fernando Alonso for 23 years, which shows that I support drivers who give me what I ask for."