Jack Doohan crashes out in Miami, heaps pressure on Aussie's spot on grid

News.com.au

04-05-2025

Jack Doohan's tough start to his Formula One career has continued after the Australian crashed out of the Miami Grand Prix on the opening lap.
Oscar Piastri won in Miami on Monday morning (AEST), becoming the first McLaren driver since 1998 to win three races in a row as he held off teammate Lando Norris to extend his lead in the championship.
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But it wasn't such good news for Doohan, who started 14th on the grid but came unstuck at Turn 1 when he made contact with Liam Lawson in an incident that ultimately ended both their races early.
'That's wretched luck for Jack Doohan, who outqualified his teammate Pierre Gasly for the first time,' Sky Sports commentator David Croft said.
Doohan's front left tyre went straight off the rim and he was forced out of the race with a tyre puncture.
Martin Brundle said on Sky Sports it 'wrecked both their races'.
Lawson was fuming, telling Racing Bulls team radio: 'I got completely hit mate, I got no idea what the Alpine was doing.'
The incident continued Doohan's turbulent start to his F1 career at Alpine — his results from the six races so far are: DNF, 15th, 15th, 14th, 17th, DNF.
Doohan crashed out in Australia and suffered a huge crash in practice in Japan last month, which was due to Doohan having the DRS flap on his rear wing open and taking too much speed into the corner.
The son of MotoGP legend Mick Doohan has shown glimpses of strong pace but his spot on the grid will come under scrutiny if he continues to be involved in crashes and rack up DNFs.
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes Doohan's seat is safe for 2025 despite the pressure of Alpine's highly touted reserve driver Franco Colpainto waiting in the wings.
'That's why it's maybe a bit harsh and unfair, but I would say that in relation to the other rookies, you can see that he's someone who might not necessarily be competing for the world championship at some point, so to speak,' Schumacher said on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast.
'And if the money doesn't come in from Colapinto, then I don't think he will be exchanged for the time being, because I hear Doohan also has a sponsor worth $17.7m AUD in the bag, and that has to be paid out somehow.
'I can imagine that he will survive somehow, but Flavio (Briatore, Alpine Executive advisor) is always good for a surprise.'
Doohan's crash in Miami came after the 22-year-old hit out at Alpine after a pit lane blunder saw him eliminated in the opening qualifying session.
Doohan and Yuki Tsunoda were both blocked in their attempts to get back on the track for a final flying lap in the session.
They were unable to get out of pit lane before the session ended. Doohan was furious with his Alpine team's failure to get him back on the Miami street circuit — and gave them a piece of his mind over the team's radio.
Replays on Sky Sports showed a communication error put Doohan behind teammate Pierre Gasly in the pecking order in a move that ultimately resulted in members of the Alpine crew needing to physically push the car backwards to make the turn out of the garage.
The delay saw other cars move ahead of him in the queue and he was never given an opportunity to complete his final flying lap.
To say he was angry is an understatement.
'That's not acceptable,' he fumed over team radio. 'If you're going to send him [Gasly] before me, you have to make sure he's ready.
'I can't turn out and have to turn in because he's going to turn into me.
'Then you put me out in Q1. That's a joke.'