The 2024 Singapore Grand Prix will forever be remembered as one of the most emotional races in recent Formula 1 history.
Going into the event, Max Verstappen caused controversy by swearing during the official FIA pre-race press conference.
Verstappen started conducting impromptu interviews in the paddock to avoid giving answers in an official capacity and was eventually reprimanded and forced to carry out community service ahead of the FIA prize-giving gala in Rwanda.
Lando Norris went on to win the race from Verstappen and this only created more hype around the title battle that was developing, with the Brit closing the gap to his Red Bull rival.
However, one moment at the end of the race will always be remembered between Norris and his close friend Daniel Ricciardo.
Ricciardo stole the fastest lap at the end of the Grand Prix and while it didn’t earn RB – now Racing Bulls – a point, it denied the McLaren one which could have proved crucial at the end of the season.
The reason the Australian was given the chance to earn the fastest lap is because it became an open secret that the Singapore Grand Prix would be Ricciardo’s final race for the team before he was replaced by Liam Lawson.
The eight-time race winner denied any knowledge of a potential exit being discussed after the race, but Ricciardo was given a guard of honour on his way through the paddock, highlighting what everyone knew about his future.
Now, journalist Nate Saunders, speaking on the Unlapped Podcast, believes another driver is heading into 2025 with a similar fate hanging over them.
Jack Doohan facing the same problem that saw Daniel Ricciardo lose his F1 seat in 2024
Jack Doohan has only taken part in one race for Alpine but will officially start his first full season as an F1 driver in 2025.
However, the signing of Franco Colapinto has thrown Doohan’s F1 into doubt and talking about the situation, Saunders said: “Now, obviously, Colapinto is coming as a reserve driver. Doohan is their quote-unquote man for the race seat alongside Pierre Gasly.
“But I think most of us now expect that that’s not really the case.
“They’ve put themselves in a bizarre situation because you’re starting the season with one driver and most people think that Colapinto will be in the car sooner rather than later.
“There are reports that Miami is when his contract says he’ll be in the race seat. Now, we haven’t been able to stand that up ourselves. But you can certainly see that.
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“A lot of people have already kind of been doing the research and doing their homework on it and Doohan last year, getting that Abu Dhabi chance increasingly seems like they were kind of throwing him in the deep end to see how he reacted to that.
“I’ve never fully thought that Alpine were fully behind Jack Doohan in the same way they were behind Piastri a few years ago.
“I think the problem Doohan has straight off the gun is that we all assume it’s happening. It’s when not if, right?
“It’s a bit like [the problem] we had with Ricciardo towards Singapore last year. It became obvious this is something that’s going to happen rather than is it going to happen?
“And then the questions just keep coming, the pressure ramps up.”
Jack Doohan faces shootout with Franco Colapinto for 2025 F1 seat
While Doohan – who is reportedly on a £1.5m-a-year contract – is the incumbent driver at Alpine, the Anglo-French team seem to have given themselves plenty of flexibility should they want to make a change this year.
Doohan contract runs for just a few races and while Saunders couldn’t confirm that Colapinto is expected to be racing at the Miami Grand Prix, it ties in with when the Australian’s deal is supposed to end.
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Colapinto and Doohan have both tested Alpine’s car in Barcelona this winter, although no details have been provided on how they performed.
Instead, Doohan has to get as close to Pierre Gasly as possible during his first few races on the grid, while Colapinto has to keep the pressure on with his performances in the simulator.
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