“Harsh but inevitable” F1 driver axing pointed out after illogical team decision
“They’ve shot themselves in the foot when they didn’t need to"
One F1 driver dumping has been predicted before the 2025 season has even started - and the finger has been pointed at his team’s odd decision.
Alpine’s Jack Doohan is the driver under the microscope, even though he is heading into his rookie year.
Doohan made his race debut at the 2024 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix but competition for his seat is red-hot before the new campaign has even started.
Alpine’s signing of ex-Williams standout Franco Colapinto means they have a top notch option waiting in reserve.
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“I wouldn’t say it’s fair - but Formula 1 isn’t fair,” Connor McDonagh told the Crash F1 podcast.
“Valtteri Bottas had a great year. He only got 20 points but he was in the worst car on the grid. And he’s been dropped, so Formula 1 isn’t fair.
“In terms of Doohan, I was surprised he got the seat in the first place. I don’t think his record was stellar.
“Alpine rushed into it when they didn’t need to - he was already on their books.
“It is harsh but I think it’s inevitable. Doohan is a dead man walking with four or five races at best!
“Against Pierre Gasly, one of the best midfield drivers, he’ll have a tough time.
“The money they reportedly had to pay for [Colapinto], I don’t see him on the sidelines for long.
“Especially when you’ve got the Argentinian fans, the sponsorship money…
“Flavio Briatore isn’t scared to make big decisions, he doesn’t care.”
'I struggle to see Alpine's logic'
Lewis Larkam also insisted that Doohan’s days are numbered, saying: “It feels inevitable already.
“It’s absolutely harsh and unfair on Jack. But I’m actually not sure why Alpine made the decision to promote Jack as early as they did.
“At that time, the driver market was still moving.
“When you’ve got Jack on a contract as your reserve driver, he isn’t going anywhere else.
“I struggle to see Alpine’s logic to make that call so early, with a large portion of the season still to go.
“They’ve shot themselves in the foot when they didn’t need to.
“They could have awaited until the end of the year to see the pool of drivers available to them.
“Even Bottas would have been a stronger option than Doohan.
“Now it seems like they’ll replace him with a guy they could’ve signed, if they waited a few months anyway, and avoided this messy situation!”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
