Jack Doohan's precarious position at Alpine shows no signs of easing, with new footage revealing Franco Colapinto conducting a 'TPC' test at Monza.
The high-profile reserve driver, on loan from Williams, skipped the Suzuka weekend, and the reason is now apparent: he was occupied with simulator duties at the factory during the race and subsequently drove the 2023 Alpine in Italy.
Meanwhile, intense speculation swirls around Doohan, the rookie who suffered a dramatic crash in Suzuka practice while attempting to navigate Turn 1 with DRS open.
Many suspect his contract spans just six races.
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes Doohan's stint could end even sooner. "It's being driven by his own team, but also by his driving," Schumacher told Sky Deutschland.
"He makes a lot of mistakes and isn't fast enough. We saw Ryo Hirakawa get in that car in the first practice session and was right on par with Pierre Gasly. Then Doohan got in and made that huge mistake. At the moment, he's overwhelmed by the situation. I'm curious to see what happens, but he's not certain to be at the next race."
The rumours, largely fuelled by Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore, have put team boss Oliver Oakes on the defensive. "He's staying," Oakes insisted when questioned about Doohan.
"It's a clear yes. He's with us. There's a lot of pressure on him, but he's taking it well. My message is to leave him alone."
Colapinto, meanwhile, is openly pursuing the Alpine race seat. "I'm an Alpine driver," he told the Nude Project podcast.
"I have a contract with them. I'm working hard and hoping for an opportunity with this team. They went out of their way to bring me in."
