The Australian remains on the tightrope and, according to an important F1 figure, could be replaced before mid-year
Steiner was even more specific when evaluating the team's technical context: "It's true that the Alpine isn't a fantastic car, but Gasly was in Q3 and did well. So the car isn't as bad as it's thought, but it does have ups and downs," he explained during his participation in the podcast The Red Flags. He added: "I think Jack knows he has to perform. And Jack sometimes performs. If he could do it consistently... But you know, I feel that in the race he still struggles."
So far this season, Jack Doohan's performance hasn't been promising. Although he is a rookie, the Australian is one of five rookies on the grid, and at least three of them have already shown a much better level.
In qualifying, his best performance was a P11 in Bahrain, and although he has completed all races except for the Australian Grand Prix, where he retired after crashing in the rain, his other results were not encouraging either: 13th in China, 15th in Japan, 14th in Bahrain, and 17th in Saudi Arabia. This is in addition to two other on-track incidents that compromised his image within the team.
It's clear that if Doohan wants to stay in F1 and prevent Colapinto from taking his seat, he needs to improve urgently. The next opportunity will be the weekend of May 2, 3, and 4, when the championship continues with the Miami Grand Prix.
After five races in the 2025 Formula 1 season, the performance of the rookie drivers is starting to generate deeper analysis. Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar have replied with solid performances, Ollie Bearman shows some ups and downs, meanwhile both Gabriel Bortoleto and Jack Doohan have yet to establish themselves in the category.
In the case of the Australian driver, the situation appears to be the most delicate. He hasn't scored points with Alpine yet, and he is far from Pierre Gasly's performance both in qualifying and in the race, and he also was involved in two major accidents. As if that weren't enough, Franco Colapinto and the rest of the reserve drivers appear on the horizon as possible replacements.
The pressure increased in recent days with the statements from Gunther Steiner, former Haas team principal, who issued a direct warning about Doohan's future in the category. "If Jack (Doohan) doesn't improve there's a great chance that, mid-season, they'll go and tell him 'Hey, it's not working'," the manager pointed out.
