Isack Hadjar has highlighted how the support from Racing Bulls has enabled him to succeed where Alpine counterpart Jack Doohan did not.

Alpine elected to bench Doohan just six races into the F1 2025 season in place of reserve driver Franco Colapinto.

Isack Hadjar enjoyed crucial early benefit over Jack Doohan

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Hadjar has made his F1 debut with Racing Bulls this season after narrowly missing out on last year’s Formula 2 title.

A product of the Red Bull development program, he initially slotted in alongside Yuki Tsunoda.

Aside from a warm-up lap crash on debut at the Australian Grand Prix, Hadjar quickly solidified his position in the field.

The 20-year-old has amassed five points from his opening six races, scoring the bulk of Racing Bulls’ eight points so far this season.

But while he has bounced back from early disappointment, Doohan has found himself on the outer limits after just six races.

The difference between the pair, Hadjar suggested, was a result of the environment they enjoyed.

“I didn’t have a gun on my head before starting the season, so it was definitely helping,” Hadjar pointed out to media including PlanetF1.com at Imola.

“I had good support here since day one.”

The Frenchman’s comments come against a backdrop of speculation that engulfed Doohan for much of his time on the grid.

Rumours that he was set to be replaced by Colapinto for the race drive swirled even before he climbed into the car at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

At that point, Colapinto enjoyed a race seat with Williams, though was elbowed out by the arrival of Carlos Sainz for F1 2025.

That prompted a switch to Alpine, where he became one of the Enstone operation’s reserve drivers, on a multi-year deal which served to ramp up suggestions that he was inline to replace his Australian colleague in short order.

Pre-season, there were claims the switch could be made even before the Albert Park season opener.

Alpine moved to play down those suggestions, though comments made by executive advisor Flavio Briatore served to ratchet up the intrigue.

“Even before the season, it smelled a bit bad,” Hadjar said of Doohan’s experience.

“He entered the scene with a lot of pressure, expectations, so not a really good environment.

“It feels quite unfair because, you know, six races in, [he] didn’t have much time to show anything; and it’s not that he has a rocket ship as well.

“Yeah, a bit harsh.”

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After being confirmed as one of its F1 2025 race drivers last August, Doohan was promoted into the Alpine race seat ahead of last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in place of Haas-bound Esteban Ocon.

With Colapinto heavily linked to the squad, it was suggested at the time the promotion was an audition drive ahead of a decision being made on whether Doohan would remain in the car for the F1 2025 season.

Once it became clear the Gold Coast native would start the year in the car, it quickly emerged that a contractual break clause made the Miami Grand Prix a watershed moment.

Doohan endured a tough start to the campaign after crashing out on the opening lap of his home grand prix.

He was involved in multiple tangles a week later in China and suffered a hefty crash at the Japanese Grand Prix just minutes into the second practice session; Doohan had missed opening practice as Alpine ran reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa in his car.

While there were promising signs in Bahrain, a mid-race safety car compromised his strategy and dropped him out of the points-paying results.

A clash with Liam Lawson on the opening lap in Miami saw Doohan chalk up his second retirement of the season.

Hadjar by contrast bounced back strongly from his Melbourne faux pas and proved a strong match for Tsunoda in China.

He’s had the upper hand over Lawson since the New Zealander joined the team in Suzuka, coinciding with Hadjar’s maiden F1 points finish with eight place.

The net result is the Frenchman has managed to solidify his position on the grid in the opening six races of the year.

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