Ocon tackles Alpine on the management of the Doohan case, considered particularly severe in the paddock

It's like being back in Japan in April, when Liam Lawson's case was the main topic of discussion before the third round of the season. The New Zealander had been demoted by Red Bull after only two Grands Prix, causing general incomprehension. The brutality of the decision had rekindled the debate on the methods of the Austrian industry, known for its extremely limited patience with its young drivers. Lawson, despite this hasty decision, still retained a place on the grid thanks to Racing Bulls, the sister team.

Jack Doohan, however, did not have this opportunity. Thanked by Alpine Without having scored a single point, the Australian will have to settle for returning to his role as reserve driver, which he held before his promotion. A decision that surprised several drivers, close to the young man or sensitive to the precariousness of these rookies with sometimes dazzling trajectories.

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"I've spoken to Jack, obviously. It's really difficult for him," says Liam Lawson, who is well placed to understand the situation. "I think he's shown enough to stay in Formula 1, he proved he belonged. But how can you expect a rookie to show his full potential in just five races? It's an extremely unforgiving environment. In my eyes, he already deserved a place in F1 before he even got there, and what he's done since shows he deserves to come back. But with only XNUMX seats on the grid, it's very complicated. Each team makes its own choices."

Same story on the side ofOscar piastri, current leader of the championship, who also underlines the difficulty of the task entrusted to Franco Colapinto: "It was a short experience in F1 for Jack. Now Franco is coming for five races, which is not easy either. These are not ideal conditions to return to Formula 1." And to add: "It's a complicated situation. Jack can be proud of what he's achieved. He became an F1 driver, and no one can ever take that away from him."

Ocon not surprised by managementAlpine

Piastri, who also passed through Alpine, is familiar with the sometimes confusing workings of the team. Reserve driver in 2022 after winning a string of titles in F3 and F2, he seemed destined for a permanent position as a replacement for Fernando AlonsoBut in the absence of a clear commitment, the Australian preferred to join McLarenA resounding departure, which had caused strong tensions with Alpine. Since then, the management has changed: out goes Otmar Szafnauer, in comes Flavio Briatore, whose return signals a much more decisive management style. The Italian, determined to restore Alpine at the top, does not hesitate to make radical decisions. When the Italian arrived last summer, the departure ofEsteban Ocon was already a done deal since the Monaco incident, but the septuagenarian did not hesitate to deprive him of the last race and farewells with his team, then to prematurely dismiss Doohan to launch Colapinto. The Norman, who was coming to the end of his contract, also wanted to discover something else after five seasons at enstoneThe story ended badly between both camps and Ocon, although focused only on his adventure with Haas, don't forget the hard management ofAlpine when discussing the case of Jack Doohan.

"Unfortunately, this is not really a surprise, given some of the decisions the team has made recently," says Esteban Ocon, winner of the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, with Alpine. “I don’t have much to add on that. I’m obviously disappointed for Jack. I’m convinced he’ll return to F1 one day. He showed some very good things this season, especially in qualifying, where he often performed very well. It was nice to see. On the other hand, Franco also deserves his place. He put in some very good performances last year with Williams. But there just aren't enough cars on the grid for all the talent available. I'm happy where I am." said the Evreux native. A polite way of saying that he doesn't miss his former team for a second, which is also sinking in the standings (9th, 7 points), while Haas is fighting for 5th place.