Jack Doohan has a 3-race deadline to prove himself before Flavio Briatore replaces him with Franco Colapinto: Reports

Jack Doohan may have just three races to meet Flavio Briatore’s expectations, according to F1 journalist Michael Schmidt. Speaking on Auto Motor und Sport’s YouTube channel, Schmidt suggested that the Australian must stay within three-tenths of a second of Pierre Gasly, or risk being replaced.

If Doohan fails to meet that benchmark, Schmidt believes Alpine could swap him out for reserve drivers Franco Colapinto or Paul Aron, potentially after the Japanese GP. While Jack Doohan has a contract with Alpine until the end of 2025, his F1 race experience is limited to a single outing in Abu Dhabi last year. Meanwhile, Gasly has a multi-year deal, but with Briatore now involved, even he will need to perform consistently to secure his future.

Schmidt pointed out that Colapinto and Aron’s financial backing strengthens their case as replacements, and that Briatore’s history of impatience could make a mid-season change a real possibility.

Speaking on the Auto Motor und Sport YouTube channel, Schmidt said:

“He (Briatore) has two very good reserve drivers in Franco Colapinto and Paul Aron and Colapinto might also bring him a bit of sponsorship money. Yes, actually you should give him (Doohan) more time, but we all know that Flavio Briatore’s fuse is short. What I hear is that Doohan gets exactly three races and he has to be within three-tenths of Gasly. He will be replaced when he is half a second behind Gasly. I would say after the Japanese Grand Prix he will be gone.”

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Jack Villeneuve suggests Jack Doohan will have to at least match Pierre Gasly to remain in Alpine

Jacques Villeneuve believes Jack Doohan is under immense pressure to keep his Alpine seat for the full season. The 1997 world champion feels the Australian must at least match Pierre Gasly—and ideally beat him—to secure his future with the team.

Villeneuve also pointed out that while Doohan has spent two years as Alpine’s reserve driver, he hasn’t raced competitively since his 2022 F2 campaign. Though he replaced Esteban Ocon for one race in Abu Dhabi last year and took part in testing and FP1 sessions, Villeneuve stressed that race sharpness is different from simply driving the car.

Assessing Doohan’s limited F1 outings, Villeneuve found his performances underwhelming. He believes the young Australian will need to prove himself under pressure and drive exceptionally well to hold onto his seat.

In an interview with Yay Sweepstakes, Villeneuve responded to the pressure Doohan faces, stating:

“A lot because he’s been an extra driver for too many years doing testing and so basically not racing. Not racing for long there’s always the risk that you might lose your mojo and you become complacent, so that’s a little bit difficult. The race he did last year at the end of the season wasn’t impressive. You know you get one race at the end of the season you have to be a bit tougher. It wasn’t impressive when you put him under that pressure, so it will be good to see how he reacts to that pressure now.”

“I hope it goes well. You know he’s a nice guy. He’s passionate. He’s been working hard at it for a long time. He’s prepared himself and it would be a shame if all this preparation came to nothing. He has to drive out of his skin. He has to be at the worst on Gasly’s level. Like, not even behind, on his level. Like, a few hundredths in front or behind, but just there, at worst. And he actually needs to beat him," he added.

Jack Doohan’s contract wouldn’t prevent Flavio Briatore from axing him mid-season, a move common at Red Bull. Last year, Logan Sargeant, Daniel Ricciardo, and Esteban Ocon were all replaced mid-season for underperformance. While Ricciardo’s case was different, he faced similar pressure from the start, just as Doohan will this year.

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