Haas driver Oliver Bearman collided with the “incredibly tough” decision by the Alpine, making the decision to drop Formula 1 rookie Jack Doohan from the driver’s lineup.
Doohan was benched by Alpine after last week’s Miami Grand Prix, and the team brought back spare driver Franco Colapinto as an alternative to the next five races.
The Australian, son of MotoGP legend Mick Doohan, has remained part of the Renault-owned team since the swap, but it is unclear whether he will return to the cockpit later this year.
In a press release, Alpine hinted at his performance as the main reason for Doohan’s firing, with the 22-year-old unable to collect a single point in a car with little competition against his midfield rivals.
However, Alpine’s decision was not received much by the paddock. Bearman says Dohan was “unfairly” treated by the team.
“I can only imagine it as a horrifying situation and I think his treatment is very unfair,” he said in Imola.
“As rookies, we have been on four of the new tracks for us, and as rookies there were two sprint events that were even more challenging for us.
“Before he arrives even in the European season where there is a truck he knows, he’s already been dumped from his car. It’s incredibly tough. Imagine it.”
Another rookie who believes Doohan is not given enough time to find his foot in Formula 1 is Race Bulls driver Isack Hadjar.
The Franco Algerians have already witnessed some cruel relegation in the Red Bull crease, and Liam Lawson was demoted from the squad in support of Yu’s Pyroxen after just two weekends.
But he understands why performance is a top priority for teams like Red Bull, but he believes midfielders like Alpine should give rookies more time.
“Even before the season, I think he entered the season with a lot of pressure (and) expectations, so it smelled a bit bad,” the Frenchman said. “So it’s not a really good environment.
“And I feel that is very unfair because in six races he didn’t have much time to show anything. That’s not to say he had a rocket ship either, it’s a bit harsh.
“I didn’t have a gun on my head before the season started, and it definitely helped.
“This probably makes sense in the top team because you’re Red Bull, you want to fight for the World Championships. But if you don’t, if you want your rookie to have experience, you need to give him a race. Otherwise, he can’t race.”
Lawson, who completed 11 Grand Prix before 2025, said Dohan deserves another crack in Formula 1.
“It’s very cut,” he said. “In his first season, he certainly did enough for F1 even before he entered Formula 1 in the first place. He deserves to be back. There are 20 seats, which is very tough.”
