Former Alpine drivers express their disapproval of the Colapinto-Doohan exchange.

      "I didn’t have a gun to my head."

      Two former Alpine drivers have strongly criticized the Enstone-based team for its handling of Formula 1 newcomer Jack Doohan. Doohan lost his race seat after just six Grand Prix appearances, with even his replacement, Franco Colapinto, expressing some discomfort. "It's never pleasant when circumstances unfold like this, stepping into another driver's seat," said the rookie from Argentina. "But in Formula 1, you don't really choose the moment when it happens. I just take it as it comes, aim to do my best, and try to make the most of it for the job."

      Isack Hadjar, a Red Bull rookie debuting this year with the junior Racing Bulls team, mentioned at Imola that Doohan's position at Alpine had seemed "fishy" from the beginning. "I didn’t have a gun to my head before the season began, which was helpful for me, and I’ve had great support since day one," the French rookie remarked.

      The Doohan-Colapinto seat at Alpine was vacated over the winter by Esteban Ocon, who joined Haas. The 28-year-old smiled in the Imola paddock, saying, "I’m content with where I am." Regarding Doohan losing his seat after only six races, Ocon added, "Unfortunately, some recent decisions by that team haven't been surprising. I don't have much more to say. It's obviously disappointing for Jack. He had some really strong moments this year, qualifying exceptionally well and being very quick in the car, which was nice to see."

      Another driver with a strained relationship with the team is Oscar Piastri, whose case even reached F1’s contract recognition board amid disagreements between Alpine and McLaren over the Australian. "It's a tough situation," said the championship leader when asked about Doohan’s situation. "For Jack, he can take pride in what he has accomplished. He became an F1 driver, and that can’t be taken away from him. It’s a challenging situation, but it’s not really for me to comment further."

      However, the McLaren driver did note that even Colapinto's seat is currently guaranteed for only the next five races. "That’s also not an easy situation to come back into F1," Piastri remarked. Other drivers also weighed in on the severity of Alpine's decision-making, as Flavio Briatore has effectively taken over as team boss. However, following Oliver Oakes’ unexpected departure, Dave Greenwood is now recognized by the FIA as the team principal due to Briatore's lack of a license.

      Colapinto was asked if the limited five guaranteed races might lead to overdriving and mistakes. "I don’t know," said the 21-year-old. "We’ll see once I get behind the wheel. But after hearing Carlos (Sainz) say it takes him about ten races to acclimate to a car, I think five may not be sufficient for me," Colapinto admitted. "I've only driven nine F1 races in my life. So, it will likely take me a few more races, probably more than five, to get up to speed and extract everything from the car. But I have to work with what I have. I want to make the most of it, enjoy it, and do my best for the team."

      Colapinto’s teammate, Pierre Gasly, remains secure in his race seat and downplayed the turmoil on the other side of the garage and the pit wall. "There are no problems in the team," the Frenchman asserted. "No one has disagreements with anyone. The headlines do not accurately reflect what’s happening at the factory."