“I think it comes from all sides really,” Oakes said when asked whether discussions over the move had been prompted by the team or from Ocon’s camp. “I guess you could say it’s good to get Jack in early, I think you could say from Esteban’s side it’s good to move on early.
“I think it suits everybody, so I think the discussion was quite natural really, and I think Esteban’s been a big part of this team as well and from both sides it suits each other.”
READ MORE: ‘Let’s see’ – Oakes expands on ‘discussions’ amid reports Ocon could be replaced by Doohan for Abu Dhabi GP
Oakes is also confident that Doohan will be able to handle the pressure of making his debut at the season finale, a race that could prove crucial in the constructors’ battle for sixth place between Alpine, Haas and RB.
“I think anyone who gets thrown into an F1 car in a race like that, it’s never easy to judge,” the Team said. “I think the problem is you’ve got the benchmark Bearman set, which was phenomenal in Saudi.
“You’ve got – and I mean this in a nice way because he’s hugely talented – Kimi [Antonelli] with the sort of pressure in Monza. But I think at the end of the day Jack’s just got to take it as he finds it.
“I think he’s professional enough to handle it. I think as well, once you ease into the weekend with FP1 and FP2, you can build up to it as well.”
