Ralf Schumacher reacts to Alpine’s inconsistent management

Ralf Schumacher criticized Alpine for the way it treats Jack Doohan and holds the team responsible for the problems faced by the Australian in Formula 1. Rumors circulated this winter and at the beginning of the season suggesting that Doohan could be replaced by Franco Colapinto, who was loaned to Alpine before the start of the season. The first three races have not dispelled this threat. For his part, Oakes stated earlier this week: « Jack is and remains with us. »

As the rookie discovers some circuits for the first time and tries to adapt, the crashes in Australia and during the sprint in China, as well as last weekend in Japan, haven’t really boosted his confidence. His points table remains empty. After the Suzuka Grand Prix, Ralf Schumacher was not certain that Doohan would remain a regular driver for Alpine at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Speculations about Schumacher are currently just rumors. The young driver will indeed be in his single-seater in Sakhir. However, the German harbors uncertainties about Alpine’s support for its rookie, given that Flavio Briatore has often recommended favoring another driver. The perfectionist Italian doesn’t want to bother with things to review and correct and wishes to have the best.

New rumors have been heard in recent days, as Franco Colapinto was testing at Monza while the field was in Japan, and he was able to increase his mileage. For Schumacher, there is no doubt: « Sorry, if I didn’t want to replace Doohan, why would I let Colapinto drive now? » he said on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast.

The participation of the Argentine during the winter break has already put pressure on Doohan’s shoulders, and the Monza videos would plunge him into uncertainty. Everything gets mixed up, says Schumacher, who finds that Alpine does not look good.

Schumacher considers it incoherent that Alpine gave the first session to reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa: « The team is not letting him race for the moment, which is a catastrophe, especially on a new circuit », he says. « You don’t feel the support from the team. We could have done the same with Gasly in Bahrain. » The reserve driver left the French team just after the Suzuka Grand Prix.

Naturally, Schumacher does not absolve Doohan of his responsibilities. He is still lagging behind Gasly, makes numerous mistakes, as evidenced by the four penalty points he accumulated in China due to a collision and an overtaking. But the error is on the team’s side, he directs the blame towards Alpine, highlighting through the team leader: Oliver Oakes, with whom I exchanged, shares the same viewpoint.

Is the Australian driver already giving up? Did forgetting the DRS, which caused his accident, have an element of frustration? No one will ever know. Doohan, in a press conference, stated that he was aware Hirakawa would be driving in FP1. The Australian concluded by saying: « You have to accept the game, I keep pushing and taking things as they come. »