Alpine executives are not dismissing the possibility of a Doohan-Colapinto exchange.

      "Jack must keep performing well."

      Neither of the two top executives at Alpine has explicitly denied the rumors suggesting that Miami might be Jack Doohan’s last Formula 1 race weekend. Fueled by team advisor Flavio Briatore, who loaned Franco Colapinto from Williams, speculation about a driver change has been prevalent throughout the season. This week, the situation escalated when Horacio Marin, president of YPF, one of Colapinto's main sponsors, inadvertently mentioned "in Imola" when questioned about Colapinto’s debut date.

      Team principal Oliver Oakes’ dismissal of the rumors in Miami was somewhat tepid. "I’m sure many people in Argentina would like to see him in the car this Sunday," he stated. "As a team, we’ve acknowledged that this is just noise." He added, "Jack must keep doing a good job. However, it’s normal for speculation to arise."

      When asked directly if Doohan would still be in the car at Imola, the Brit responded: "As of now, Jack is our driver along with Pierre (Gasly). We have been quite clear on that. We constantly evaluate, but that remains the case today."

      On the track in Miami, there are evident signs that 22-year-old Doohan may be preparing for a departure. He expressed frustration over the radio, saying, "That is not acceptable" and "you guys pushed me out of Q1," later telling reporters that he was "blocked" in the pitlane by "the other car" (Gasly’s).

      However, a day prior, the Australian rookie downplayed the rumors' impact on him, stating, "Even during tough moments, I didn’t feel affected. I was surrounded by supportive people, and the team backed me greatly, so I never had that mindset." Regarding the increasing rumors, he commented, "There are always reasons behind the speculation. Nothing surfaces by accident."

      Briatore was present in the paddock this weekend in Miami and was asked by Sky Italia if he believed the pressure on Doohan was excessive. "If Doohan is in Formula 1, I don’t think he should be under pressure," the Italian replied. "When people say a driver faces pressure because another driver could take his spot, that should serve as a motivation to perform well. I joined Renault when there was already a contract with Doohan, so I didn’t change anything," insisted the 75-year-old.

      Nonetheless, like Oakes, Briatore does not outright deny that Colapinto could soon take Doohan’s place. "We are currently evaluating," he stated. "Let’s see how the upcoming races unfold, and then we’ll assess. We have three drivers, including Paul (Aron) - we will see. The drivers carry significant responsibility, as many others rely on their results. We must be fair, but they also need to be fair to us," said Briatore.

      When asked if it seemed a decision had already been made to have Colapinto on the grid in 2025, he replied: "No, but I believe we evaluate periodically. Now that we have reached the sixth race, all we need to focus on is performing well in this race and getting at least one car into the points before discussing further. However, I don’t accept the idea that Doohan is always under pressure. The pressure truly lies with someone working in Fiat for 2500 euros - or even less - each month. They are the ones who feel the pressure."