Johnny Herbert believes Jack Doohan is offering Flavio Briatore with a “little little bit of a headache” at Alpine due to how he has carried out throughout the opening 5 rounds of the F1 season.
Heading into the marketing campaign, the hearsay mill was rife with hypothesis the Australian had solely a handful of race weekends to show himself at Crew Enstone, or danger being sidelined.
Having been introduced in as a check and reserve driver from Williams, Franco Colapinto was – and stays – favorite for the nod if Doohan will get jettisoned out.
Nevertheless, the previous F1 driver and FIA steward feels the 22-year-old’s performances “have not been unhealthy” thus far this time period and that the delta to team-mate Pierre Gasly shouldn’t be as pronounced as anticipated.
“It’s all right down to Jack,” Herbert instructed Motorsport Week. “What the monitor and what the efficiency is, and hopefully there aren’t going to be as many errors coming into play.
“It’s purely right down to his performances. Truly, his performances haven’t been unhealthy, to be completely sincere. He hasn’t been blown away by Pierre in any respect. Qualifying tempo may be very comparable.
“So it’s in all probability somewhat little bit of a headache for Flavio [Briatore, Alpine’s Executive Advisor], as a result of I feel he needed it in all probability to be getting blown away, getting utterly destroyed mentally, after which he can shortly try this change.”
The looming menace
Nonetheless, Herbert maintains Doohan should discover a approach to contribute on Sundays. 5 rounds into the yr, he’s but to complete a grand prix larger than P13.
If that doesn’t occur, the Briton fears Alpine will make a swap, notably given the curiosity surrounding Colapinto.
“Qualifying, that’s one factor,” the 60-year-old mentioned. “However… the race is one thing that he’s received to harness all of the energies, the unfavorable energies that could be there, the constructive energies which are there, and do the job in a race scenario, and that will likely be his saviour.
“If it doesn’t occur, then will probably be Colapinto, for certain. As a result of I feel Flavio may be very conscious that different folks in all probability have an interest.”
