Amidst all the exit rumors surrounding Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly stands up for his rookie teammate Jack Doohan. The Australian, like Lawson, is under immense pressure. He made his debut this year with Alpine, but has yet to prove himself in the first two Grands Prix. According to Gasly, rookies are overly criticized in the media and simply need some time to develop.
Even before the current Formula 1 season, it was reported that Jack Doohan had to fear for his seat. Alpine’s top advisor, Flavio Briatore, had appointed Williams talent Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver. If Doohan underperforms, the Argentine could take his place. There was talk of a six-race deadline. Since then, the results of the 22-year-old Australian have naturally been under scrutiny.
In a recent episode of the Beyond the Grid podcast, teammate Pierre Gasly explains that Doohan has been and is being treated ‘unfairly’ by the media. Admittedly, during his home race in Melbourne, Doohan had an early crash and during the recent Chinese GP, he only crossed the finish line in fifteenth place. However, Gasly warns that newcomers need time to develop.
‘No Equal Treatment’
“I think he (Doohan) was already being discussed in the media before he even raced in Formula 1,” says Gasly. “Then I think: ‘Just give the guy some more time and we’ll see how it turns out.’ Of course, he’s in this position because he’s been given an opportunity that many drivers dream of. That makes it a tough environment. There will always be pressure, there will always be conversations happening behind his back. What’s unfair is that not everyone is treated the same way. I don’t think that’s okay.”
The statistics show that Jack Doohan generally keeps pace with Gasly. During the sprint qualification in Shanghai, he even finished above his French teammate, although he would fall back in the race with a damaged car. For now, there is no talk of a driver swap at Alpine. Other debutants would, however, already have to clear the field. A deal between Red Bull and Yuki Tsunoda is imminent, which would see Liam Lawson return to the Racing Bulls subsidiary team after just two Grands Prix.
