“F1 is fine margins”: Alpine boss backs under-fire Jack Doohan amid underwhelming start to 2025

Jack Doohan's full-time Formula 1 debut in 2025 was always going to be a high-pressure affair, and the first five races have done little to dispel that tension. Alpine has reportedly decided to retain the 22-year-old until the summer break, opting to re-evaluate his position in August. However, Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes has come out in support of the Australian rookie in his first F1 season.

While the decision gives Doohan a window of opportunity, it also confirms the looming threat of replacement. The young Australian was already under scrutiny before the season began, thanks to Flavio Briatore's public refusal to guarantee him a full-season drive. In addition, young prospect Franco Colapinto signed a multi-year deal with Alpine, which added further pressure on Doohan.

Alpine's team boss Oliver Oakes was among the first to push back against the noise. Earlier this year, in a conversation with the James Allen on F1 podcast, Oakes called out the negativity directed toward the rookie driver. He said (28:59 onwards):

"It's been a little bit harsh on Jack, some of the stuff that was written by the keyboard warriors there. And he's getting his fair crack at it next year. I think the intention there isn't to put it on his shoulders. It's genuinely to give the team options further down the line – and for me, F1 is fine margins."

Despite these reassurances, Doohan's early results have left much to be desired. His results so far began with a DNF in Australia, followed by finishes of P13, P15, P14 and P17.

His performance at the Saudi Arabia GP was perhaps the most concerning as he finished P17, a lap down, struggling to make his alternate strategy work after pitting under the early Safety Car. His inability to recover despite briefly finding a rhythm on hard tyres, highlighted the limitations of both the driver and the machine.

Doohan's qualifying form has also raised questions. He's failed to progress beyond Q1 at three circuits, leaving him with uphill battles on race day. While rookie adaptation periods are expected, the presence of another young prospect in the Alpine pipeline has heightened the stakes in the Enstone team.

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Alpine rookie Jack Doohan reflects on Saudi GP struggles and vows improvement

Jack Doohan of the Alpine F1 Team during the Saudi Arabia GP. Source: Getty

After a frustrating outing at Jeddah, Jack Doohan was measured in his post-race assessment. Speaking to Formula1, he outlined the reason behind Alpine's ambitious one-stop strategy:

"It was a difficult day today and we faced various challenges throughout the race which meant we were not able to progress forward. We took a bold strategy to pit for the Hard tyres under the Safety Car on Lap 1, with the aim to stay out through to the end."

Doohan noted that while the car felt 'comfortable in the corners,' he lacked the pace and straight-line advantage needed to mount overtakes. As others pitted again, he lost ground rapidly and was forced into a second stop just to reach the checkered flag.

Jack Doohan makes a pitstop late in the Saudi GP. Source: Getty

He added that the focus now shifts to learning from these early mistakes and working with the team engineers to find more potential in the Alpine F1 A525 Renault.

For Jack Doohan, the next few races could well shape the rest of his Formula 1 journey with his performance under constant watch.