F1 2025's other dropped driver on Doohan's exit
Two F1 drivers' opinions are particularly relevant on the question of whether Jack Doohan deserved to be dropped - and neither were particularly supportive of Alpine's position
It's been no surprise to see Formula 1 drivers voice their support for Jack Doohan in the wake of Alpine brutally demoting him just six races in to the 2025 season, while also trying to dance that fine line of not talking down his replacement, Franco Colapinto.
Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar reckoned Doohan was always doomed by the short contractual leash Flavio Briatore held him on, while Ollie Bearman criticised "this trend of kicking people out straight away".
More seasoned drivers with first-hand experience of being suddenly dropped, such as former Red Bull drivers Pierre Gasly (now at Alpine) and Alex Albon (now at Williams), advised Doohan to keep his chin up, shut out the negativity and work hard to be ready to return to the grid as a stronger proposition.
Gasly's experience of being demoted by Red Bull 12 races into the 2019 season (and swapped with Albon) is - ridiculously - several orders of magnitude less severe than what Doohan has just experienced for himself. And what's more Gasly's Red Bull demotion was purely a performance-based decision, with no driver already waiting in the wings to take the seat away and, as far as we know, no specific commercial considerations attached either.
In any case, Gasly naturally had to answer the questions he faced on media Thursday at Imola as carefully as he could, because he's still gainfully employed by the team that's just done the dirty on Doohan. Whatever Gasly's true feelings, he surely isn't in a position to share them at this point.
But there are two other drivers with particularly relevant insight.
Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson knows probably better than anyone right now what it feels like to be treated harshly by the F1 team you're meant to be racing for.
He lost his 2025 Red Bull drive after only two events which, discounting Doohan's surprise debut in place of Ocon in the final race of 2024, equates to a 66% more brutal demotion than Doohan's just had.
But Lawson was at least lucky enough to fall back into Red Bull's B-team, rather than being forced to stand on the sidelines like Doohan.
Lawson was careful in what he said when asked about Doohan's predicament, but expressed support for a driver he knows well and has spoken to since the decision was made, calling F1 "cutthroat" and saying Doohan had basically been set up to fail by his team.
"I think he showed enough to stay in Formula 1 - for sure he showed enough to be in Formula 1," Lawson said.
"How can you be expected in five races to show everything you have, as well in your rookie season?
"It's very, very tough."
And while Gasly might not have been inclined to share his thoughts, for his 2024 Alpine team-mate Esteban Ocon, things are a bit different.
He fell out with Alpine spectacularly - admittedly after he himself badly sabotaged its Monaco Grand Prix by driving into Gasly - but he nevertheless offered a unique view on how that team deals with its drivers.
It was quite telling that in the Imola drivers' press conference, when asked whether he was surprised by Alpine's decision to drop Doohan, the driver he was ultimately replaced by, Ocon said it was "unfortunately not really any surprise" to him that Alpine had acted in this manner, based on his own experience.
"[I'm] obviously sad for Jack," Ocon added. "I'm sure he will be back in F1 at some point - he showed some really strong moments this year. He's qualified super well and he's been super quick in the car, which was good to see.
"On the other hand also Franco deserves to be in F1. Last year he showed some great things with the Williams car.
"Unfortunately there are not enough cars on the grid to feed all the talents that there is out there."
