Guenther Steiner, the former principal of the Haas F1 team, projects that Mick Doohan, a motorcycling icon, will provide critical support to his son, Jack Doohan, in handling the escalating rumors about his future with the Alpine team in Formula 1. The younger Doohan, who made his early F1 debut at the 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi, is now preparing for his full-time racing season in 2025 with Alpine.
The Queensland-born racer, son of five-time world motorcycling champ Mick Doohan, is one of the two Australian drivers participating in the 2025 F1 grid, the other being Oscar Piastri from Melbourne who races for McLaren, the reigning Constructors’ champions.
Last August, Doohan secured a deal to race for Alpine. However, his seat on the team has been under constant scrutiny ever since the signing of highly-acclaimed Franco Colapinto as the reserve driver for the 2025 F1 season. Although Doohan’s contract reportedly covers only the initial few races of the season, speculation is rife that the 22-year-old may be substituted by Colapinto at some point during the season.
PlanetF1.com has indicated that like all drivers, Doohan’s continued participation will depend on his performance. Guenther Steiner, who managed the Haas team from 2016 to 2023 and worked with racers like Romain Grosjean, Kevin Magnussen, Mick Schumacher, and Nico Hulkenberg, has expressed skepticism about the rumors indicating that Doohan has only a few races to prove himself.
In a conversation with Speedcafe, Steiner asserted that the pressure on Doohan comes from external sources. He also defended the young driver, saying, “If there’s no official statement, I always assume that somebody opened his mouth not knowing what he’s saying, just wanting a headline.” He believes Mick Doohan will play a crucial role in helping his son navigate this challenging phase.
Flavio Briatore, an adviser at Alpine, has frequently reassured that Doohan’s seat is safe for the start of the season. However, he also warned that he would not hesitate to make changes if the performance doesn’t meet expectations. Doohan, at a season-launch event in London last month, confirmed to the media that Colapinto is only the reserve driver for Alpine, rejecting any notion that his position has been “undermined” by the Argentine’s arrival.
Oliver Oakes, the Alpine team principal, supported Doohan’s assertive stance on the rumors about his future. During the recent pre-season test in Bahrain, Oakes was asked about Doohan’s handling of the speculation. He responded positively, noting, “I think he’s done a really good job of just blocking out the noise and getting on with it.”
Oakes also made clear that the team was transparent about their plans and that they are focused on racing with the best driver in the car. He urged everyone to give Jack and the team space and let the season play out. He concluded, “And then let’s see how it all goes.”
