Boss acknowledges increasing 'unrest' concerning the Doohan cockpit.

      "You always have to make the best decision for the team."

      The pressure on Jack Doohan escalated into actual pain following a 300kph crash at Suzuka. According to Auto Motor und Sport, the rookie Australian, who is precariously holding onto his race seat at Alpine, attempted to emulate a maneuver he practiced in the simulator by approaching the first corner at full throttle with DRS activated. After crashing into the wall, and having already been replaced by reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa during the initial practice, team principal Oliver Oakes described Doohan’s actions as a "misjudgement." Some estimates suggest the damage could total around $1.5 million, and early concerns of a potential hand or arm injury sparked speculation that Franco Colapinto could take over Doohan’s seat sooner than expected. However, Colapinto is not in Japan, even though he appears to be the favored choice of team advisor Flavio Briatore for the position alongside Pierre Gasly.

      "We’re aware there’s some instability regarding Jack’s role," Oakes shared with Sky Deutschland, "but he’s performing well. So far, everything is fine. He remains composed and is concentrating on his performance. There are many rumors about Franco, but at this moment, we are content." Nonetheless, this does not guarantee his position. "You must always consider what’s best for the team," Oakes added. "Every driver in Formula 1 needs to deliver results. They understand that."

      Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes Doohan’s crash signifies the young driver’s increasing desperation. "You can see the pressure is mounting and he truly wants to prove he deserves that seat," he stated. "He wants to demonstrate his speed and ability to make a difference, which is why he went beyond the limit." Former Racing Bulls manager Franz Tost concurred, commenting to ORF: "You cannot take that corner at such a high speed. However, there was no sign of deceleration at all. I’m completely taken aback. If it was a driving mistake, it was a severe one, I must say." Schumacher anticipates a driver change will happen sooner rather than later. "Flavio hopes and believes that Colapinto will perform better," the German remarked, "which would, of course, contribute to advancing the team."

      As for Colapinto, who is currently working in the simulator at Enstone, he mentioned to Clarin: "My French isn’t perfect. I would love to improve, but at the moment, my main focus is maintaining peak physical condition so I can return to the track."