Even before Jack Doohan made his official debut with the Alpine team this year, the young Australian was already under immense pressure. Top advisor Flavio Briatore brought Williams talent Franco Colapinto into the Alpine ranks to replace Doohan if necessary. So far, Doohan has managed to retain his seat, but according to former driver Ralf Schumacher, this is largely due to the millions in sponsorship money he brings with him.
With the experienced Franco Colapinto as a test and reserve driver, many experts expected Jack Doohan to only drive a few Grand Prix for Alpine. Interviews revealed that Flavio Briatore had a preference for the young Argentine, who scored good points on behalf of the Williams team last year. Five races have already been run in the current championship and Jack Doohan still serves as the regular driver alongside Pierre Gasly. Even the wealthy South American sponsors of Colapinto have not been able to effect a change. According to Ralf Schumacher, this is all due to the sponsorship money that Jack Doohan himself brings to the table.
Schumacher: ‘Doohan Not Good Enough for Formula 1’
Team boss Oliver Oakes has publicly supported his driver in recent months, emphasizing that he needs time to perform. However, Schumacher believes that Doohan simply isn’t good enough for Formula 1. “I don’t want to be as harsh as Dr. Marko and say he’s a C-class driver,” said the German in a Sky Sports podcast, referring to previous criticism from Red Bull’s top advisor. “He’s definitely not a C-driver, he’s very good, but in my opinion, not good enough for Formula 1.”
“Of course, it’s still a bit early, and Doohan has a very experienced teammate in Lando Norris, who is already well integrated into the team and receives support,” Schumacher continued. “So it might be a bit harsh and unfair, but I would say that, compared to the other rookies, he’s not really going to compete for the title. That being said, I don’t think he’ll be swapped out just yet. I hear that Doohan has a sponsor worth ten million euros,” Schumacher revealed. “Colapinto should be able to match that. Therefore, I can imagine Doohan keeping his seat for a while longer, although Flavio (Briatore) can always surprise us.”
