Doohan's Alpine race seat seems safe until 'summer'

Apr.15 (GMM) Jack Doohan appears to have done enough to guarantee his race seat at Alpine at least until the European summer.

So far this year, strengthening rumours have suggested the Australian rookie only has a six-race contract – meaning Franco Colapinto could replace him after just two more grands prix.

Team advisor Flavio Briatore, however, seemed to be less in a rush to usher Doohan out of his seat just a few days ago.

“Colapinto? Let’s see,” he told La Stampa newspaper.

“The priority is to have a top-level car that is up to par with the four giants McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari.”

Indeed, Auto Motor und Sport is now reporting that, according to paddock information, the 22-year-old son of MotoGP legend Mick Doohan has been given “a grace period until the summer, despite his two accidents in Melbourne and Japan”.

Team boss Oliver Oakes has also been generally more supportive of Doohan compared to Briatore.

“He’s done a good job this weekend, and in general,” Oakes said in Bahrain last weekend.

“I know he was a bit off guard in FP1 in Japan, but I think this weekend, particularly during qualifying – Q1, the first run of Q2 – it was better. I think he was a bit disappointed in the last run of Q2, because he was just half a tenth away from making it to Q3,” he added.

“Then in the race, too, those first two stints, he did a very good job. In the end it was difficult with the safety car, which brought everyone together. In terms of competitiveness, it was difficult with the cars around him.

“I think he had a good weekend, really.”