Formula 1

Defiant Doohan snaps back at Colapinto replacement rumours

Australian rookie denies he's feeling the heat before his first full Formula 1 season at Alpine has even started

Filip Cleeren Alex Kalinauckas

Edited: Feb 18, 2025, 3:59 PM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Jack Doohan, Alpine F1 Team

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Alpine driver Jack Doohan has issued a firm response to questions about his long-term Formula 1 future after his team signed Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver.

Alpine made a move for Colapinto to bolster its future options, with the Argentinian one of three reserve drivers for this year alongside Paul Aron and Ryo Hirakawa.

Colapinto generally impressed on his nine-race stint for Williams last year, and has also brought Argentinian sponsor Mercado Libre with him to the Enstone-based squad.

Having such a proven F1 calibre driver ready to go has fuelled rumours that suggested Doohan, who has just one start to his name at last year's Abu Dhabi season finale, only has a few races to prove his worth and could be replaced at short notice if he doesn't deliver straight away.

But ahead of F1's 75th anniversary launch at London's O2 Arena, Doohan shrugged off any suggestions Colapinto's arrival is already putting him under more pressure than any other debutant.

"No, I've been told he's a reserve driver," he said. "And I think, regardless, you're one of 20 Formula 1 drivers in the world. I know when I was a go-karter, in Formula 3, Formula 2 – I would do anything to be in Formula 1 and sacrifice everything.

"So, [whether] 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.”

Franco Colapinto, Williams

Photo by: Erik Junius

Pressed on the topic by another journalist on whether Alpine hiring the 21-year-old Colapinto undermined his position, Doohan snapped back: "Is that a question? I was a 21-year-old reserve driver [too] last year. 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 definitely not.”

Speaking to Motorsport.com earlier this year, Alpine team boss Oliver Oakes already insisted Doohan would get a "fair chance" to impress at the squad, and Pierre Gasly also voiced his support for his new team-mate.

“I know Jack is a great person and a great driver; I've seen him develop and we've given him his chance,” the Frenchman 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.”

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article Gallery: The best liveries from 75 years of F1

Next article Russell: Mercedes won't fall into same short-term F1 traps

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

IndyCar set to drop Nashville Superspeedway and D.C. for 2027; Barcelona announcement looms

IndyCar

Indy IndyCar 38 min

IndyCar set to drop Nashville Superspeedway and D.C. for 2027; Barcelona announcement looms

Carlos Sainz: "Difficult to be convinced" that F1 2026 can finish in the Middle East

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

United States GP

41 min

Carlos Sainz: "Difficult to be convinced" that F1 2026 can finish in the Middle East

Max Verstappen’s words explained: Why Red Bull’s turnaround is so different this time

Formula 1

United States GP

Max Verstappen’s words explained: Why Red Bull’s turnaround is so different this time

F1 United States GP: Friday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

United States GP

1 h

F1 United States GP: Friday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch

Feature

Discover prime content

Max Verstappen’s words explained: Why Red Bull’s turnaround is so different this time

Formula 1

United States GP

By Ronald Vording

Max Verstappen’s words explained: Why Red Bull’s turnaround is so different this time

Mission control: Inside the FIA and F1's latest answer to football's VAR

Formula 1

United States GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Mission control: Inside the FIA and F1's latest answer to football's VAR

How Kimi Antonelli levelled up his character to be F1 2026's world champion-elect

Formula 1

United States GP

By Filip Cleeren

How Kimi Antonelli levelled up his character to be F1 2026's world champion-elect

Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40

Formula 1

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts