Alpine Chief Claps Back At 'Harsh' Jack Doohan Claims After Franco Colapinto Signing

Alpine's team principal Oliver Oakes has clapped back at criticisms directed towards Jack Doohan following the signing of Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver.
Some comments had implied that the signing would exert undue pressure on Doohan, who is heading into his rookie season with the French team. Oakes, however, assured that Doohan will be given a fair opportunity to prove his abilities.
Oakes explained during the James Allen on F1 podcast, as quoted by Autosport:
"It's been a little bit harsh on Jack, some of the stuff that was written by the keyboard warriors there, and he's getting his fair crack at it next year.
"And I think the intention there isn't to put [pressure] on his shoulders. It's genuinely to give the team options further down the line. And for me F1 is fine margins.
"There's a load of people who are depending on a driver to deliver each weekend, and we need to make sure we've got the best drivers in the race car, not just now, but also in the future."
Oakes, who became team principal in August 2024, orchestrated Alpine's resurgence from ninth to sixth in the Constructors' standings. Alongside Flavio Briatore's return as Executive Advisor, who brings his championship-winning expertise back to the Enstone outfit, Alpine has begun to focus rigorously on improving their competitive stance.
Commenting on Colapinto's place in the team, Oakes added:
"I think Franco made a great first impression with Williams. I think it was clear to see that he probably tried a bit too hard at the end there.
"How much of that was the situation he was in, where he didn't have a seat confirmed and was trying to over-impress, and how much of that was a compromise on parts on the car, that's hard to calculate. But I think the crux is he made a strong impression with the speed he showed.
"For us as a team it's great to have that roster of two young drivers in Paul and Franco there waiting in the wings, because it's not just about 2025; 2026, 2027 is around the corner, and it's hard in F1 to plan what's going to happen and what drivers you're going to have to go in the car.
"For us, it just keeps everyone honest in terms of how they're performing and gives us options."
Despite Oakes's comments, Briatore had previously fueled the rumors of Doohan's potential replacement as he hinted that they would not rule out a driver swap mid-season. Briatore previously explained:
“The only thing we can be sure of is death!
“We’ll start the year with Pierre and Jack, I can guarantee that. After that, we’ll see as the season progresses.
“I have to get the team in the right condition to get results and the driver is the one who has to conclude the work of nearly 1,000 people behind him. Everyone works for just two people.
“If there’s a driver who isn’t making progress, who isn’t bringing me results, I change him. You can’t be emotional in F1.”