Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft believes that Jack Doohan could earn himself a seat with Alpine heading into the 2025 season.
Alpine’s start to the season couldn’t have gone any worse after a dreadful race in Bahrain.
Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast, Croft explained that their misfortune might hand the 21-year-old a golden opportunity.
Croft thinks Doohan could earn Alpine drive in 2025
Alpine knew they had work to do at the end of the 2023 season but appear to have taken some big steps backwards to go forward in the long run.
Unfortunately, that saw Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon qualify on the back row of the grid.
Their race pace wasn’t any better and they only finished ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Logan Sargeant because they both had issues during the Grand Prix.
Two key members of Alpine staff have already resigned since the beginning of the season.
Technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer will leave the team although that’s not going to have an immediate impact on results.
Croft believes all this turmoil could offer Jack Doohan a chance to drive for Alpine in 2025.
The young Australian is the team’s dedicated reserve driver this year and will be keeping a close eye on the progress of his French teammates.
If they decide to look for a way out, then he could be the man to benefit.
Doohan hoping to earn spot on F1 grid
Speaking about the driver market, Croft said: “I think Jack Doohan could get a seat next year because I think the situation at Alpine might not tempt [Pierre] Gasly and [Esteban] Ocon to stick around beyond the end of their contract.”
Jack Doohan has had a strong junior career in single-seater championships and used to be part of Red Bull’s academy.
He finished runner-up in the F3 Asian Championship twice and Formula 3 in 2021.
Doohan then raced in F2 for two seasons, finishing third last year with Invicta Virtuosi before becoming a full-time reserve driver for 2024.
Croft’s suggestion that Doohan could race for Alpine in 2025 is backed up by Ocon being linked with Mercedes and Gasly being an option for Audi.
If either driver moves on, then the Australian will hope he’s the first person they turn to for next season.
The post ‘Could get a seat’: Sky pundit backs 21-year-old driver to replace Pierre Gasly or Esteban Ocon in 2025 appeared first on F1 Oversteer.