Defiant Doohan snaps back at Colapinto replacement rumours

Alpine driver Jack Doohan has issued a agency response to questions on his long-term System 1 future after his crew signed Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver.

Alpine made a transfer for Colapinto to bolster its future choices, with the Argentinian certainly one of three reserve drivers for this 12 months alongside Paul Aron and Ryo Hirakawa.

Colapinto usually impressed on his nine-race stint for Williams final 12 months, and has additionally introduced Argentinian sponsor Mercado Libre with him to the Enstone-based squad.

Having such a confirmed F1 calibre driver able to go has fuelled remous that prompt Doohan, who has only one begin to his identify eventually 12 months’s Abu Dhabi season finale, solely has just a few races to show his value and could possibly be changed at brief discover if he does not ship immediately.

However forward of F1’s seventy fifth anniversary launch at London’s O2 Enviornment, Doohan shrugged off any recommendations Colapinto’s arrival is already placing him below extra strain than another debutant.

“No, I have been instructed he is a reserve driver,” he stated. “And I feel, regardless, you are certainly one of 20 System 1 drivers on the earth. I do know once I was a go-karter, in System 3, System 2 – I’d do something to be in System 1 and sacrifice all the things.

“So, [whether] it is somebody contained in the crew, exterior the crew, anybody that is performing nicely, you are all the time going to have strain in your shoulders since you’re in such a cut-throat sport.

“However no matter strain there could also be, I look ahead to having fun with that, embracing it and simply having fun with my System 1 season.”

Pressed on the subject by one other journalist on whether or not Alpine hiring the 21-year-old Colapinto undermined his place, Doohan snapped again: “Is {that a} query? I used to be a 21-year-old reserve driver [too] final 12 months. With a long-term contract. However no, I do not. Possibly I ought to? I do not know. I do not actually perceive that as a query, however positively not.”

Talking to Motorsport.com earlier this 12 months, Alpine crew boss Oliver Oakes already insisted Doohan would get a “fair chance” to impress on the squad, and Pierre Gasly additionally voiced his help for his new team-mate.

“I do know Jack is a good particular person and an amazing driver; I’ve seen him develop and we have given him his probability,” the Frenchman added.

“I will not remark any additional. As a rookie, it is by no means straightforward to get into F1, and there is no have to make issues extra sophisticated than they must be.”