Alpine has denied that rookie Jack Doohan is facing undue "pressure" ahead of his Formula 1 debut, despite growing speculation about Franco Colapinto's potential future on the grid within the team.
Reports suggest the 22-year-old Australian's position could be at risk if he does not perform in the first quarter of the 2025 season, with newly-signed reserve driver Franco Colapinto possibly waiting in the wings.
Alpine team advisor Flavio Briatore did little to dispel the rumours, stating bluntly to Le Parisien recently: "If a driver doesn't deliver results, doesn't progress, he will be replaced. You can't be emotional in Formula 1."
Joan Villadelprat, an experienced engineer and manager who has worked with Briatore, says this situation is typical of the Italian's approach to nurturing talent.
"He (Briatore) knows what he wants," Villadelprat said on the Duralavita podcast.
"He looks at young talent and wants it at any price, like he did with (Michael) Schumacher.
He went for Colapinto because he is looking for the new (Fernando) Alonso, the new Schumacher."
Interestingly, both Colapinto, 21, and Doohan were seen at Alpine's Enstone factory this week at the same time, with Briatore sharing separate Instagram photos of himself with each driver, fueling speculation about their roles in the team.
However, Alpine team boss Oliver Oakes pushed back against the rumours, calling some of the criticism directed at Doohan unfair.
"Some of the stuff that was written by the keyboard warriors about Jack was a bit harsh," Oakes told reporters.
"It's not about putting pressure on him, it's more about giving the team options," Oakes clarified. "A lot of people rely on a driver to perform every weekend, and we need to make sure we have the best drivers in the cockpit, not just for now, but also for the future."
