What is Doohan's Status After Suzuka and Colapinto's Test Performance?
Apr.8 - Jack Doohan's situation is going from bad to worse, as footage emerges of him barely able to get out of his Alpine cockpit after the Japanese GP.
Amid raging speculation that he will soon be replaced by Franco Colapinto, the Australian rookie crashed heavily in Suzuka practice and there were whispers he had injured his left arm or hand.
Indeed, an Alpine mechanic and even Haas' Esteban Ocon had to help Doohan get out of the car after the race, as he was unable to use his left arm.
Worse still, while Doohan struggled in Japan, Colapinto - clearly favoured by Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore - was testing a 2023 car at Monza.
Reports suggest Colapinto was half a second faster than fellow team reserve Paul Aron over a single lap, and seven tenths ahead in race pace.
Former Formula 1 driver Christijan Albers admits he feels sorry for Doohan.
"It's a very difficult situation and I don't like it," the Dutchman told De Telegraaf. "He's just making his debut in Formula 1 and all you want to do is focus. But you can't enjoy yourself.
"Everyone always thinks that you're going to enjoy yourself when you're in F1, but it's not the case, as you're under pressure from day one. But with Doohan, this is really a lot of pressure.
"All this gossip that he'll be out after a few races, which also has everything to do with Colapinto's sponsors. That's going to be the decisive factor."
Doohan left Suzuka late on Sunday bruised but believing he will be on the grid in Bahrain.
"I'll take a few days to rest and recover," said the son of MotoGP legend Mick Doohan. "I'm looking forward to racing again in Bahrain, where the conditions will be completely different."
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His struggle to climb out of the cockpit due to his left arm was clearly a side-effect that hadn't yet gone away, & while a mechanic was already helping him, he was lucky Ocon coincidently happened to be walking past his car, but a classy move by him to stop & also provide help.
Yes, Colapinto was driving the A523 around Monza, albeit his pace relative to Paul Aron is pretty irrelevant because only he'll replace Doohan as a full-time driver anyway, with the change happening sooner rather than later at the current rate.
This the important bit
"All this gossip that he'll be out after a few races, which also has everything to do with Colapinto's sponsors. That's going to be the decisive factor."
Indeed. That's definitely an important factor.
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