03/04/2025
NEWS STORY
"It's a cut-throat sport," says Jack Doohan as he sympathises with fellow Antipodean Liam Lawson.
Of course, the Australian would know, for ever since Alpine made the move for Franco Colapinto there has been intense pressure on the Australian, who, should the worst come to the worst, has no 'B team' to fall back on.
Asked about Lawson's plight, the Alpine driver told reporters at Suzuka: "I feel for him, but he's still in Formula 1.
"He's an extremely talented driver," he continued, "and, for one reason or another, had a very hard time. "But again, only two races. It's a shame but to be honest, he's going to be more of a threat at RB than potentially he was at Racing Bulls!
"It's a cut-throat sport, and especially in that situation," he added. "I don't want to comment too much on it, but in a top team especially, this is Formula 1, it's a business where they rely on performance and results. He was in a very, very tricky situation and we know how tough that Red Bull is to drive."
At a time the focus in on the rookies, Doohan was minded of veterans Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz, who have both had difficult starts to their seasons.
"It's a good point," said the Australian. "I see stuff like, whether it's Carlos being out-qualified by Alex by three-tenths, three-and-a-half-tenths and it's fine. He needed time to learn the car.
"But if I was a tenth-and-a-half off Pierre as a rookie, I'm sure there'd be press everywhere saying I should be replaced.
"You come in and these guys like Alex or even Pierre here have been driving this car for the past three days; they know it very well; its ins, its outs," he continued. "Carlos is an extremely talented, highly respected, race-winning driver, and he comes, and he has things that he likes to do with the car, and maybe he's not able to exactly do that, and it does take time. Some people maybe hop in and the arrive and drive it better, and others not."
The Australian's cause is hardly helped this weekend as the team - for reasons best known to Flavio Briatore no doubt - has sidelined him for the opening practice session in favour of home boy Ryo Hirakawa.
"I don't honestly think it'll hurt us," said Doohan. "I think the focuses of why I've been sat out are for a good reason in the end, which should benefit us all," he added.