Jack Doohan’s turbulent start to his Formula 1 career continues to unravel at the Miami Grand Prix. The Alpine rookie’s heated radio exchange calling his team’s strategy “a joke” has only intensified speculation about his future with the French squad.
During the Miami Sprint qualifying, tensions boiled over when Doohan found himself trapped behind teammate Pierre Gasly in the pitlane. The situation forced mechanics to push his car backward, costing him precious seconds. This delay meant he couldn’t complete his flying lap before the session ended, resulting in elimination from SQ1 with the 17th fastest time.
Radio tirade reveals team tensions
“This is unacceptable,” Doohan’s frustrated voice crackled through the radio. “If you release him (referring to Gasly), you have to accept that I won’t have space to turn, so you’ve left me out of SQ2. This is a joke.”
The radio outburst was just the beginning. As Doohan walked down the pitlane after exiting his car, cameras captured him in an animated discussion with an Alpine team member. Such public displays of discontent between a driver and their team are rare in Formula 1, especially within the same outfit.
Mounting pressure for the rookie driver
Doohan carries perhaps the most pressure of any driver on the grid. His promotion to full-time Alpine driver for 2025 was announced during summer 2024, before anyone knew Franco Colapinto would become available after his impressive stint with Williams. Team principal Flavio Briatore‘s subsequent signing of Colapinto as reserve driver sent an unmistakable message about expectations.
Unlike many rookies who can learn without immediate pressure to deliver points, Doohan faces a unique situation. Alpine’s car is genuinely competitive this season, meaning every learning mistake costs potential championship points. While teammate Gasly secured a seventh-place finish as his best result—and would have added another top-10 after China without a technical disqualification—Doohan remains pointless through five races.
Legacy pressure amplifies the challenge
As the son of five-time motorcycle world champion Mick Doohan, Jack carries an additional burden of living up to his father’s racing legacy. The whispers about his potential replacement began even before his first race weekend was complete.
Following the Miami incident, Doohan maintained his position to media, though with more composure. “The final flying lap is crucial. We were strong, feeling good, but I got stuck leaving the box. It was a disaster. The other car was to blame. I couldn’t start my final run, and I believe we had everything needed to reach SQ2.”
Colapinto’s Imola debut rumors intensify
The Argentine driver’s potential debut has shifted from “if” to “when.” Paddock sources now point to the Italian Grand Prix at Imola as the likely switching point, just two weeks away as Formula 1’s first European stop of the season.
The rumors gained credibility when a sponsor representative inadvertently revealed during an off-air moment on Argentine television that the historic circuit would host Colapinto’s return to racing. While Alpine has attempted to deny these claims, the timing appears increasingly plausible.
Challenging debut circumstances
Doohan’s introduction to Formula 1 has been far from ideal. The combination of immediate performance expectations, a competitive car that demands consistent scoring, and the public knowledge of his likely replacement has created a pressure cooker environment for the rookie.
The Miami weekend perfectly encapsulated his struggles: promising pace before the qualifying disaster, public venting of frustrations, and the shadow of his replacement warming up for a potential imminent debut.
As Formula 1 heads toward the European leg of the season, Doohan faces two crucial races to prove his worth. Meanwhile, Colapinto continues preparing, likely aware he might be just days away from returning to the F1 grid.
The Alpine situation represents one of the most dramatic mid-season storylines of 2025, with all eyes on Briatore’s next move concerning the team’s driver lineup.
