Every Formula 1 race weekend seems to create some sort of turmoil within one of the teams on the grid.
Haas have had their fair share of internal politics and at the Monaco Grand Prix, it was the Alpine team that came into sharp focus in the paddock.
Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly collided on the opening lap of the race and speaking on the F1 Nation Podcast, reporter Tom Clarkson has shared one candidate who could be in line to replace them who has really impressed the team recently.
Alpine team principal Bruno Famin admitted before the race in Monaco that he was ready to react in case both of his drivers moved on at the end of the campaign.
Both French drivers are out of contract at the end of the year and Ocon didn’t do himself any favours on Sunday.
However, Alpine have been very impressed by reserve driver Jack Doohan and he’s putting himself in a strong position to earn a race seat in 2025.
Clarkson has also relayed the important role he played in the team’s success in Monaco behind the scenes before he was spotted chatting with Famin after Ocon’s huge error that cost him his place in the race.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage
Jack Doohan putting himself in a strong position for a 2025 Alpine seat
Points have been incredibly hard to come by for Alpine this season and before the Monaco Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon’s 10-place finish was the best Grand Prix finish they had achieved.
Gasly did finish 9 in Miami, but unfortunately, it was in the Sprint Race and he was denied a point due to the different points structure.
However, he gave himself a brilliant chance to finally move off 0 points by reaching Q3 in Monaco and started the race in 10.
He may have even been slightly disappointed that he didn’t start in a higher grid position.
Gasly tried to make a move past Alex Albon on the first lap and that created an opportunity for Ocon to dive down the inside of him heading into Portier.
He didn’t pull off the move and they made contact, with Ocon’s car sent flying into the air and causing enough damage to end his race.
Famin warned of ‘consequences’ for Ocon’s action, seemingly ignoring team orders to hold position and support each other in the race.
That may benefit Jack Doohan as he seeks a way onto the F1 grid in 2025 and he may earn that opportunity with Alpine.
READ MORE: Who is Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan? Everything you need to know
Jack Doohan playing a key role for Alpine off the track
Referring to Bruno Famin’s statement during the race where he warned of consequences for Ocon, Clarkson said: “What could those consequences be? I mean there’s a bit of a rumour going around the paddock that maybe Jack Doohan could get his Grand Prix debut in Canada.
“I mean that’s what being talked about and Jack did do a brilliant job on Friday night for the team.
“They didn’t have the best Friday in practice here and here’s a story I can tell you his schedule.
“He flew on Friday from Nice back to the UK, he goes to Enstone, he’s on the simulator at Enstone working through various set-ups until 3:30 in the morning.
“Doesn’t go to bed, flies back to Monaco and is in the Monaco paddock at 9:30 on Saturday morning, having been on a sim in England until 3:30am!
“I think that commitment has impressed the team. I’m being flippant and I’m not saying for a second that Esteban Ocon deserves to be replaced by Jack Doohan.
“But I do think that Jack is impressing the team and as they try and work out what to do with their driver line-up in 2025, Jack is doing all the right things I feel to at least be high up the list of possibilities.”
Who is Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan?
Jack Doohan is one of the most impressive young drivers outside of Formula 1 and will be hoping Alpine offer him a place on the grid in 2025.
He was given his first kart by the legendary Michael Schumacher and started his career in the Red Bull Junior team in 2017.
Doohan left the Red Bull fold in 2021 and signed for the Alpine Academy the following year, testing an F1 car for the first time in May 2022.
The 21-year-old hasn’t won a championship since the Australian Kart Championship in 2016 but has been a front-runner in almost every category he’s raced in.
He finished as runner-up in the F3 Asian Championship twice (2019 and 2019-20) and Formula 3 (2021).
Doohan spent two full seasons in Formula 2, winning six races, securing 11 podiums and finishing 3 at the end of the 2023 season behind Sauber’s Theo Pourchaire and Mercedes junior Frederik Vesti.
The trio are now all hoping to earn their opportunity in Formula 1 and right now Doohan looks best placed to make that step up.
The post ‘Impressing the team’: ‘Brilliant’ youngster doing ‘all the right things’ to earn 2025 Alpine seat – reporter appeared first on F1 Oversteer.