For any new Formula 1 driver, a first Grand Prix in the premier category is an exceptional, almost magical moment, the consecration of a career. For Jack Doohan, this first Grand Prix risks being one of fear. If he had already acquired his place as a starter at Alpine alongside Pierre Gasly for the 2025 season, to replace Esteban Ocon leaving for Haas, the Australian will not need to wait until March 16 next to compete in his first Grand Prix.
The shocking premature breakup between the Norman and the A arrow, the day after the Qatar GP, will allow him to make his debut a little earlier than expected. Starting a career in Formula 1 during the last round of the season is unusual and it’s risky, both for Alpine… and for Jack Doohan himself. Risky, because the reasons for his anticipated promotion to the A524 seat are not the clearest and the opacity of the behind-the-scenes negotiations make us fear the worst for the young Aussie.
A life-size test for Doohan
Let’s start from where we started: officially, Alpine have ‘released’ Esteban Ocon to allow him to carry out post-season testing with Haas, which will take place the week following the last meeting of the year at Yas Marina. However, the reality would in fact be a little more complex, since the Norman would have been granted authorization at the end of the summer to drive with the American team without letting go of his wheel for the Abu Dhabi GP. Moreover, Haas did not ask for the French driver to be released even before the UAE round…
We could then believe that the tenure of Jack Doohan from this Abu Dhabi GP is an opportunity for the Australian, who will have the opportunity to learn the processes in the Alpine garage and to get back on his feet in real conditions, he who has not competed in a race since 2023, in Formula 2. This is partly true… but. Because there is always a but. Knowing the sometimes unscrupulous methods of Flavio Briatore, the executive advisor of Alpine F1 Team since this summer, this first Grand Prix for Jack Doohan may also prove to be a life-size test with a view to 2025. A trial run to really know what the 21-year-old driver is worth, how he adapts, if he immediately has the rhythm and mentality of an F1 driver. And above all, if Alpine was not mistaken in signing him as a starting driver for the 2025 season, announced last August…
Because imagine for two minutes that this first experience goes badly – which we don’t want – for Jack Doohan. Unfortunately, there is reason to worry about him ahead of this Abu Dhabi GP. The Australian will recover Esteban Ocon’s Alpine A524, which is not equipped with the latest specifications, and with which the Norman lost around four tenths on one lap against Pierre Gasly. Will he be able to fight with the same weapons as the Rouennais? In addition, it will make its debut at the very end of the season, when all the drivers are perfectly accustomed to their mounts, in a context where the Manufacturers’ championship is still uncertain, both at the front and in the middle of the peloton, with Alpine who plays an unexpected 6th place.
Colapinto in charognard ?
The slightest misstep from Jack Doohan, who will undoubtedly be under pressure this weekend, could cost him dearly, very dearly. His seat in 2025? Not impossible. Would Flavio Briatore be capable of doing such a thing to one of his pilots, who is also managed by one of his structures? Not impossible. Could there be a performance clause, a condition in Jack Doohan’s contract that could allow Alpine to kick him out before the 2025 season even begins. Not impossible. Would Alpine already have in mind recruiting another driver providing sporting and financial guarantees, like a Franco Colapinto for example? Not impossible… but all of this remains speculation so no one will ever know what it is.
The Argentinian has been followed for some time by the A arrow, and the trail leading him to Red Bull has cooled in recent days due to the South American’s recent more mixed performances. With him, Franco Colapinto could bring millions which would not be negligible for Alpine, in addition to the top speed demonstrated during the first races with Williams. In a more pragmatic and economical way, it could also serve as a headliner for the Renault Group in South America, where the Losange has been strongly established for decades.
Doohan has everything to prove
However, the Colapinto track at Alpine would also have taken a turn for the worse after the Qatar GP, where the Argentinian retired at the first turn after a collision with… Esteban Ocon. Like Red Bull, the Arrow has taken a step back regarding the Williams driver after his misadventures in Brazil and Las Vegas, and would therefore be less inclined to recruit him. A chance for Jack Doohan?
In any case, whatever happens in Abu Dhabi, whatever happens after the race, the young Aussie will indeed take part in his first Grand Prix in Formula 1… and the Australian – despite the enormous pressure put by Alpine on his shoulders – hopes to take advantage of it. “It’s great to make my Formula 1 debut with the team this week in Abu Dhabi. This track brings back a lot of good memories for me”remembers the son of the motorcycle champion, Mick Doohan. I have driven at the Yas Marina Circuit at different times in my career, and I also won my last Formula 2 race there in 2023. So I am delighted to be returning there, but this time in F1. »
“This weekend and the post-season testing is an opportunity to have more track time together with the team to prepare for the 2025 season. My personal goal will be to support the 6th place ambitions of the team in the Manufacturers’ championship. I look forward to working with them to achieve this goal and end the year on a positive note. » Let’s hope for him that this first opportunity in Formula 1 is not already the last.
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