Martin Brundle feels Carlos Sainz of Ferrari rejecting a move to Alpine in 2025 would hand one driver a ‘great chance’ to replace Esteban Ocon for his debut in Formula 1.
The Enstone squad are in the market for a new driver after announcing that Ocon will leave Alpine after 2024. He was already set to be out of contract with the Renault-owned team at the end of this year. Ocon has been at Alpine since 2020 when they were still called Renault.
One option Alpine are now considering is a return to Enstone for Sainz, who drove for them as Renault in 2017 and 2018. Like Ocon, the 29-year-old will leave Ferrari at the close of this year after the Scuderia decided to abandon talks about his new deal to sign Lewis Hamilton.
Martin Brundle thinks Alpine could promote Jack Doohan if Carlos Sainz says no
Alpine elected to confirm Ocon’s exit early after colliding with teammate Pierre Gasly on the first lap of the Monaco GP. The 27-year-old sensed his chance for an ambitious overtake into Portier. But Gasly hanging on around the outside ensured contact that forced Ocon to retire.
Ocon enraged Alpine team principal Bruno Famin with his overtake on Gasly, who has signed a new contract. Now, Ocon’s departure has seen Alpine improve their first offer to Sainz, per Lawrence Barretto. They have spoken with the Audi/Sauber and Williams target for months.
But, should Sainz decide to turn Alpine down, Brundle thinks it would open the door for Jack Doohan to debut in F1. The 21-year-old is currently spending his year on the sidelines as the Enstone outfit’s reserve driver. Doohan has also been an Alpine junior driver since late 2021.
“[There is] talk that Flavio [Briatore] may be pushing hard to get Carlos Sainz there,” Brundle outlined on Sky Sports F1 (29/6, 10:24). “If not, Jack Doohan has got a great chance, I think, as their young driver.”
Alpine are open to promoting academy driver Jack Doohan to Formula 1
Groupe Renault CEO Luca de Meo recently hired Briatore to be the executive adviser to the Alpine team. One of his responsibilities is to identify the best driver talent available to sign. But Doohan and Alpine decided to sit out racing in 2024 to get the Australian ready for F1.
READ MORE: Who is Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan? Everything you need to know
He has since played a crucial role in helping Alpine develop the A524 in their simulator. The 2023 Formula 2 third-place finisher has even emerged as an alternative target to Sainz for a 2024 drive. Auto Motor und Sport has cited Doohan as Alpine’s first choice to replace Ocon.
It would mark his promotion to Formula 1 if Alpine decide to place Doohan beside Gasly in 2025. The son of MotoGP royalty Mick Doohan has never entered a Grand Prix to date and has never won a junior single-seater title. He also finished second in the 2021 F3 standings.
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