Alpine set to drop Jack Doohan ahead of Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Australia’s Jack Doohan is set to lose his Formula 1 drive with Alpine ahead of the next grand prix.

Jack Doohan is set to lose his Formula 1 drive with Alpine ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

While there has been no official announcement, it is understood that the Australian will lose his drive before the season reaches Imola next weekend.

Doohan has been under a cloud since late last year when it emerged Alpine held an interest in Franco Colapinto.

That raised concerns that the Aussie would be ousted from the drive he was named in last August in favour of the Argentinian.

Colapinto swapped from Williams to Alpine over the off-season, becoming a reserve driver for the Enstone operation. It was a move that coincided with suggestions Doohan was on borrowed time, with claims of a Miami deadline for the 22-year-old to demonstrate his credentials.

Think you’re a sports fanatic? Take the test. Play daily trivia for FREE on CODE Sports. Sign up here >

Six races into the season and Doohan is one of four drivers without a point to his name.

He recorded a best result of 14th in Bahrain alongside two DNFs, both opening lap retirements (Australia and Miami).

He also had a heavy crash in Japan in the opening moments of Free Practice 2, leaving a hefty damage bill, a result of driver error.

Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix weekend, one of Colapinto’s sponsors appeared to let slip that he would be in the car for Imola.

Caught on a microphone after the conclusion of an interview, it was suggested the 21-year-old would be in the car for the opening European round of the season.

That was downplayed by the team at the time as nothing more than a rumour out of South America.

It was a question put to team principal Oliver Oakes, who was far from emphatic in his response in Miami.

“I saw it, like everyone else,” he said.

“I think it was a sponsor from Argentina off-camera giving his view on Franco, when he’s going to be in the car.

“I’m sure there’s a lot of people in Argentina who’d like him in the car this Sunday.

“We’ve been pretty open as a team that that’s just noise.

“Jack needs to continue doing a good job. But it’s natural that there’s always speculation there.”

Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson collided in the opening lap in Miami. Picture: Chandan Khanna/AFP

Asked specifically about Doohan’s prospects for Imola, Oakes was even less committal.

“As it is today, Jack is our driver along with Pierre [Gasly],” he said.

“We’ve been pretty clear on that. We always evaluate, but yeah – today, that is the case.”

It now seems that Colapinto will get the nod for Imola, with suggestions that Doohan was informed that he had lost his drive before departing the Miami International Autodrome on Sunday evening.

Doohan is expected to remain with the team though its unclear precisely what his new role will entail.

This article originally appeared on Speedcafe.