A storm has been brewing in the world of Formula 1 as Mick Doohan vocalizes his discontent after his son, Jack Doohan, was recently demoted from the Alpine team in favor of Franco Colapinto.
Alpine’s decision was anticipated by many, as Jack Doohan struggled significantly in his first six races, failing to score any points. In contrast, Pierre Gasly, his counterpart, managed to amass seven points, highlighting the performance gap between the two. However, Mick Doohan has not taken this decision lightly, posting on Instagram to illustrate his son’s performance in comparison to Gasly. While the numbers may not favor Jack, Mick is steadfast in defending his son’s potential, insisting that his performances were not disastrous.
Alpine’s leadership change also adds to the intrigue, with team principal Ollie Oakes stepping down, making room for Flavio Briatore, a figure notorious for the ‘Crashgate’ scandal back in 2009. Briatore has justified the driver swap by emphasizing the team’s need to adapt and rotate their lineup due to the competitive nature of the season. He further stated that the decision was influenced by the close competition and the improved state of their car over the last year.
The financial aspects of the deal cannot be overlooked. Alpine reportedly paid €4.5 million to acquire Colapinto from Williams, signaling their commitment to this change. Colapinto’s entry to the team is also anticipated to bring in additional endorsements, potentially offsetting the hefty transfer fee. While Colapinto had a promising start with Williams, scoring points in two of the first four races, his performance dwindled as the season progressed, ending with three retirements in the last four races.
Meanwhile, Jack Doohan is left to ponder the next steps in his racing career. Despite the setback, there is no shortage of support for the young Australian. Oscar Piastri, a fellow countryman, has voiced his belief in Jack’s future success, regardless of the recent developments. Piastri expressed confidence that Jack will have a successful career path post-Alpine, highlighting the significant achievement of reaching Formula 1, particularly as an Australian driver.
Jack Doohan’s demotion from Alpine has stirred quite the conversation, with notable voices like Mick Doohan and Oscar Piastri weighing in. As the dust settles, the focus now shifts to how both Alpine and Jack will navigate the upcoming races and what this driver reshuffle means for the competition at large.
