Sainz put Doohan in a 'difficult situation' to accept

Jack Doohan will take over Esteban Ocon's seat at Alpine in 2025. Yet the Australian was not candidate number one for Alpine. The fact that Doohan depended on another driver's choice made it a tough period.

Alpine made no secret in recent months that Carlos Sainz was the number one candidate to succeed Ocon at the team. Sainz is a proven race winner, coming from Ferrari and also a good sign for the future of the team. Flavio Briatore expressed hopes of getting Sainz, but he opted for Williams.

Sainz puts pressure on Doohan's position

In Jack Doohan's first press event as Alpine's appointed driver, he sat in front of a large crowd. The Australian is logically delighted with the deal, recounting how he and his father, the famous Mick Doohan, heard the news. Jack also said he sensed an opportunity as early as 2024. However, with Sainz suddenly entering the picture, things got a bit trickier.

"I think it's a difficult one to accept, to know that my future is dictated by someone else and someone else's decision," Doohan said when asked by GPblog. "But it's a no-brainer. Any midfield team would take someone of the likes of Carlos Sainz with his rich experience, race-winning experience and the marketability that he brings."

"I'm confident in the stage that we are at with Team Enstone that that was the right choice to take and to embark on this journey that we're going on. I'm hoping to add value to the steps and the changes that we're making to ensure that we get to where we want to go."

This article has been written in collaboration with Matt Gretton

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