Alpine have been through a bit of a turbulent period in 2024, but a breakthrough double podium at the Brazilian Grand Prix appeared to turn things around.
Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon’s inspired performances thrust them up to sixth in the constructors’ championship, and in a position to secure millions more in prize money.
Having started the year as the slowest car on the grid, it was a special result and highlighted why their driver pairing was so good.
That was until they decided to drop Ocon in favour of Jack Doohan for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – a massive race for Alpine.
Alpine decision to replace Esteban Ocon ‘extremely risky’
With just a five-point gap ahead of Haas, this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale is a crucial race for everyone involved.
Funnily enough, it’s Ocon’s new team for 2025 that they are up against, and his early release has put Doohan into the limelight earlier than expected.
READ MORE: Another F1 driver now generating ‘tension’ with his team after Esteban Ocon’s Alpine exit
He’s a Formula 1 rookie and will need to get up to speed quickly and maybe even deliver some points for his team if they want the extra prize money.
Sky Sports F1’s Naomi Schiff called out the move as a big gamble and something that places Doohan under big pressure from lap one.
“I think that whether it does or doesn’t make sense, it’s an extremely risky move by Alpine at this stage in the game,” she said.
“To throw Jack in it when there’s only five points between the two teams [Haas behind] and they’re fighting for sixth place in the constructors’ title.”
Why Doohan faces a tricky task in Abu Dhabi
While other rookies have come into Formula 1 this season and made it look like bread and butter (Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman), that may not be the case for Doohan.
The Australian hasn’t been full-time racing for nearly one year and may be rusty when it comes to wheel-to-wheel combat.
Not only that, but he will have to rediscover his rhythm behind the wheel and get used to the physical demands of driving a faster machine.
READ MORE: Jack Doohan impressed Alpine in one area that led to him getting an F1 seat over Franco Colapinto
All of that with the pressure of the championship situation, wanting to impress on debut and reminding them of why they signed him could be too much for him to manage.
If he does well and scores points though, Doohan will have made himself look like the real deal and set himself up well for more success going into 2025.
