The son of legendary motorcycle world champion Mick Doohan enters 2025 with his Formula One career under threat as soon as it has begun.
Alpine’s decision to sign ex-Williams driver Franco Colapinto as a reserve means a would-be replacement is available if Doohan doesn’t impress team management.
“You’re always going to have pressure on your shoulders because you’re in such a cut-throat sport,” Doohan said.
The Australian driver placed third in F2 in 2023 but didn’t race at all last year until a surprise entry for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Finishing 15th, he was far off the pace of teammate Pierre Gasly in seventh.
He now faces a similar predicament to one of his F1 idols Daniel Ricciardo who was effectively stalked by Liam Lawson in pit lane last season before Red Bull pulled the trigger and axed the Aussie star for the Kiwi young gun after September’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Colapinto, who had several top 10 finishes last year for Williams, will be trackside for this weekend’s Melbourne Grand Prix and if Doohan cannot meet the high expectations of his team he may find himself on borrowed time barely as his fledgling career has begun.
Racing insiders have said he only has three races to impress before he faces being thrown on the scrapheap.
“What I hear is that Doohan gets exactly three races and he has to be within three-tenths of Gasly,” Michael Schmidt told Auto Motor und Sport YouTube channel.
“He will be replaced when he is half a second behind Gasly. I would say after the Japanese Grand Prix he will be gone.”
Doohan has stood his ground when grilled about the Colapinto threat.
“I don’t think necessarily, if it’s someone inside the team, outside the team, anyone that’s performing well,” he said last month.
“But whatever pressure there may be, I look forward to enjoying that – embracing it and just enjoying my Formula 1 season.”
The 22-year-old said this week he had spoken to Ricciardo, whose removal by Red Bull riled his loyal fans.
“It would have been amazing with DR (Ricciardo) still here (as well), but at least there are still two of us,” he said.
“We spoke quite a bit at the end of last year.
“I saw him when I was out in LA before heading to (Las) Vegas as well, we caught up briefly there. But since I haven’t had a lot of communication recently.
“He has been doing his thing, enjoying his post-F1 life. Not having to deal with everything going on as it normally would be for him.
“So for sure he is liking that and I’ve just been fully focused on this year ahead.”
With AAP