Manager advises Colapinto supporters to cool down their enthusiasm for Doohan.

      "You are causing him more harm than good"

      By GMM

      11 March 2025 - 11:55

      Franco Colapinto’s manager is urging composure amid swirling rumors as the 2025 season approaches. Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore has recently hinted that with Colapinto on a profitable loan from Williams, the Argentine could replace rookie Jack Doohan sooner than expected. "If you have two drivers, choose between two," said the flamboyant Italian. "If you have five drivers, choose between five." Team principal Oliver Oakes hasn't ruled out the possibility of Doohan's race seat being at risk, although he recently criticized "keyboard warriors" who have been escalating the narrative. "I think he should be given some space to get on with it for a few races," Oakes is quoted as saying in Melbourne’s Age newspaper. "And then at the end of the day, like any driver, you have to deliver. Whether it’s nice or kind to Jack, he’s in a Formula 1 car. That’s the dream of every boy, but it’s also his job. For me, that’s quite straightforward."

      This sentiment is echoed by many of Colapinto’s Argentine fans, who are vocally attacking Doohan on social media. "To the critics who believe they’re helping Franco," Colapinto’s manager Jamie Campbell-Walter posted, "you are doing him more harm than good." He condemned the "insults directed at the team, at Jack, and at other Alpine supporters," asserting that the Colapinto group is not contributing to the hostile atmosphere. "Franco and all of us supporting him are fans of the entire team, Pierre (Gasly) and Jack," Campbell-Walter stated. "Show your passion but refrain from abuse and arrogance. Franco’s time will come, but not in this manner - it will only backfire."

      Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes it’s clear that Colapinto, 21, is on track to take Doohan’s race seat soon. "I know Flavio," he told Sky Deutschland. "If the boy (Doohan) doesn’t perform - and he didn’t show strong results in the tests either, based on what we hear - then it will happen quickly." Schumacher speculated that Doohan might even be replaced "as soon as Australia." Regarding Colapinto, he remarked that the young driver "already knows most of the circuits, has solid sponsorship, and brings speed. However, he still needs to secure comprehensive insurance," Schumacher joked, referencing Colapinto’s numerous crashes late last season with Williams. Schumacher added that it’s also possible for Doohan to excel in Melbourne this weekend. "If he goes to Melbourne and outperforms Pierre Gasly, he could become a superstar. But it doesn’t seem likely at the moment."