‘Should be ashamed’: Photo of Doohan’s replacement says it all, dark side of F1 laid bare

A photo of Jack Doohan’s replacement arriving to take his place is hiding a dark reality about the Aussie’s “harsh” F1 sacking.

Jack Doohan’s “inevitable” fate has been sealed with his replacement entering the paddock for this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix determined to make the Alpine seat his own.

Doohan was unceremoniously axed just six races into the season, Alpine filling his spot with Franco Colapinto for at least the next five races on a rotational basis among the reserve drivers.

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The Aussie’s Formula One career may well be over before it got into second gear, with Doohan’s dad Mick expressing his frustration over Jack’s sacking.

It came amid the chilling revelation that Doohan required a 24-hour personal security team at the Miami Grand Prix following email threats that resulted in Mick, Jack and his girlfriend holding concerns for their safety.

Ever since Colapinto was announced as reserve driver in January, Doohan had been the victim of savage social media trolling from fans of the Argentinian whiz kid desperate to see him in an F1 seat after making an impression with Williams last year.

Three-time F1 race winner Johnny Herbert knows what it’s like to cop backlash and even death threats from fans after he was one of the race stewards who penalised Max Verstappen for some aggressive driving last season.

“I find it disgraceful that these people react in this particular manner, because if they are true Colapinto fans, you don’t threaten a driver and his family,” Herbert told news.com.au, per Casinozonderlimiet.co.

“That’s just totally and utterly totally out of order and all because they think that Doohan was taking Colapinto’s seat.

“That’s so out of order and I think these people should be found out. There are ways that these people can be found and hopefully that is something that happens because Jack has done absolutely nothing wrong.

“He had an opportunity and it didn’t quite pay off. Now Colapinto has that chance which was coming his way anyway.

“It’s a classic situation of social media and the people believing that they can just say what they want, when they want and basically are faceless. They should be ashamed of themselves.

“He’d been given that chance by that team. It’s not for other people outside, who have absolutely no idea what it’s like to be in a contract negotiation. They have no idea the pressures that are on any of those drivers’ shoulders including Jack.”

Franco Colapinto was all smiles as he entered the paddock in Imola. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Herbert said the writing was on the wall for Doohan once Colapinto was named as reserve driver.

“As soon as he was confirmed in the seat the rumours were starting before he even got to Australia,” he said.

“But then it’s all those keyboard warriors that come out and absolutely slate him before he’s even got on the track.

“I laugh about it now. I never liked it when it first happened. But it’s very different when you’re a young man and your first couple of races in a Grand Prix and these people are saying these horrible things.

“As a sportsman you need to have positivity and having all these negativities is something that’s very hard. It’s a modern phenomenon and people like Lewis (Hamilton) and Max can deal with it.

“It comes from all directions, from the Dutch, from the English, from Argentina and across north, central and South America.

“It should not be vicious voices basically dictating what’s happening on the track. They have absolutely zero idea what it’s like to be in a Formula One car and get all the pressures that are around it at the same time. And for Jack, unfortunately, it didn’t happen for him, and it’s a horrible place to be when it’s out of your control.”

Jack Doohan’s F1 may well be over. (Photo by Bryn Lennon – Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Johnny Herbert offered support to the Aussie. (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images)

Herbert said Doohan’s sacking was harsh but ultimately a fair decision by Alpine.

“I think it was inevitable at the end of the day because I think when Flavio Briatore signed Colapinto that was a sign that he wanted him in the seat,” he said.

“Then it was down to Jack to deliver and unfortunately, he didn’t deliver enough, and Flavio is a ruthless, ruthless old man.

“It’s not the first time he’s reacted in this way with drivers within his team. So I’m not surprised. And was it the right thing? Probably.

“Probably what we have to see is how Colapinto reacts and if he can deliver as well. But I think he’s got a good reputation in the few races when he came into F1. But he’s got to deliver.”

For his part, Colapinto was all smiles as he entered the F1 paddock in Imola but emphasised he was “starting from zero” in his return to the grid.

F1 photographer Kym Illman said it was “a very happy Franco” who arrived at the paddock on Thursday.

“Really excited, everything is new. I start from zero,” Colapinto said.

Franco Colapinto was pinching himself as his return to the grid was made official. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Colapinto is back in F1, this time with Alpine. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP)

“I’ve had a chance to reflect on last year and learn from it. Never nice circumstances to step into a driver’s seat but you can’t choose the circumstances you enter F1. You just have to make the most of it.

“It will take a few races to get up to speed and maximise everything on the car, probably more than five …

“The main goal for us is to make the car quicker and improve a bit the performance, and after these five races we will see what happens.”

Asked about Doohan’s demotion, Oscar Piastri said: “It’s a tough situation and a difficult one.”

Haas rookie Ollie Bearman described Doohan’s axing as “incredibly harsh”.

“I feel like his treatment was very unfair,” Bearman said. “Coming from his position, being a rookie myself, it’s very difficult, especially in the first half of the season.

“First quarter of the season, we’ve gone to, I think four out of six tracks have been new for us as rookies. We’ve had two sprint events, which are even more difficult for us as rookies.

“And before you even get to the European season, where there are the tracks he knows, he’s already thrown out of the car. So incredibly harsh, in my opinion.”

Watch every practice and qualifying session of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Kayo Sports, as well as the race on Sunday at 11pm AEST.

Originally published as ‘Should be ashamed’: Photo of Doohan’s replacement says it all, dark side of F1 laid bare