Helmut Marko, the influential advisor of Red Bull, has delivered a damning verdict on the driving skills of Alpine’s newcomer Jack Doohan, labeling him as a ‘C-rate’ driver. With the Australian Grand Prix on the horizon, Marko’s scathing assessment raises questions about Doohan’s future in Formula 1.
Doohan, a former Red Bull driver and the offspring of Australian motorcycling icon Mick Doohan, joined Pierre Gasly as his partner for the 2025 season during the Dutch Grand Prix last year. This occurred just days before Franco Colapinto, who had demonstrated remarkable skills in the final nine races of 2024, was elevated to a racing seat with Williams. Colapinto’s exceptional prowess had caught the attention of several teams, including Red Bull, before Alpine roped him in as one of their four reserve drivers for the 2025 F1 season.
Amidst ongoing speculation, sources suggest that Doohan’s tenure at Alpine might be short-lived, with his contract reportedly covering only the first few races of the new season. Consequently, Colapinto could soon replace him.
Doohan’s future in the racing season will largely depend on his performance, a standard applicable to all drivers on the grid. Having honed his driving skills at Red Bull’s renowned driver academy from 2017 to 2021 before moving to Alpine’s junior program in 2022, Doohan has a challenging road ahead.
Despite his past affiliation with Doohan, Marko minced no words in criticizing the Australian driver’s capabilities. In a conversation on Red Bull’s in-house station Servus TV, Marko expressed doubts about Doohan’s ability to last the entire season.
Marko, who is known for his blunt assessments, also gave his views about the other rookies on the F1 2025 grid. This includes Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Oliver Bearman (Haas), and Isack Hadjar, the recent graduate from Red Bull.
Bortoleto, the first Brazilian F1 driver since Felipe Massa in 2017, was considered a ‘B’ driver by Marko. Despite Bortoleto’s impressive record of winning the F3 and F2 titles in consecutive years (2023/24), Marko found him lacking in “pure speed”.
Antonelli, on the other hand, is seen as one of the most promising talents in F1 since Verstappen, the current four-time World Champion. Despite suffering a crash in his debut FP1 appearance for Mercedes at the Italian Grand Prix last year, Antonelli’s potential to rise as an elite F1 driver remains unquestionable, provided he can manage the immense pressure, according to Marko.
Bearman, who has already made three F1 appearances, replacing Carlos Sainz and Kevin Magnussen for Ferrari and Haas respectively in 2024, received mixed reviews from Marko. While acknowledging Bearman’s speed and talent, Marko expressed concerns about his aggressive driving style, suggesting it could hamper his progress compared to Antonelli.
Finally, Marko gave an ‘A’ grade to Hadjar, who secured an F1 seat with Racing Bulls despite losing the F2 title to Bortoleto. Marko believes that the French-Algerian driver’s potential is vast, given his quickness and skill, provided he can manage his emotions better.
In the world of Formula 1, the stakes are high and the competition fierce. As the 2025 season unfolds, it remains to be seen how these rookies will fare on the grid, especially under the critical eye of seasoned veterans like Marko.
