Australian Formula 1 rookie Jack Doohan did not hold back his frustration with his Alpine team during Sprint Qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix, branding a critical pit lane error as “unacceptable” over team radio. The incident, which saw Doohan eliminated in SQ1 and relegated to 17th on the grid, exposed coordination issues within the Alpine squad and added pressure to the young driver’s challenging 2025 season.
The drama unfolded in the final moments of SQ1, as Alpine attempted to send both Doohan and teammate Pierre Gasly out for their last flying laps. In a chaotic sequence, Doohan was released simultaneously with Gasly, leading to a near-collision in the tight Miami pit lane. Unable to fully navigate the turn out of the garage due to Gasly’s presence, Doohan required assistance from his mechanics to be pushed back into position. The delay allowed several cars to jump ahead in the pit lane queue, costing Doohan the chance to start his final lap before the checkered flag.
“That’s a joke! That’s not acceptable,” Doohan fumed over team radio, his frustration palpable. His race engineer issued an immediate apology, but the damage was done. Speaking to the media afterward, Doohan provided further context, maintaining a calmer tone but still expressing disappointment. “It all comes down to the last flying lap, and the feeling was good. I ended up getting blocked on my way out of the pit lane, which was a mess-up because it was from the other car,” he explained. “I think there was a lot more time in the car for the second lap. I guess we’ll never know, though.”
The incident was particularly costly for Doohan, who has yet to score a point in his debut F1 season after five races and one sprint. With Alpine reserve driver Franco Colapinto waiting in the wings and speculation about a potential mid-season replacement swirling, the pressure is mounting on the 22-year-old Australian. Team principal Oliver Oakes recently dismissed rumors of Colapinto replacing Doohan at the upcoming Imola race, stating, “Today, it is the case” that Doohan remains in the seat. However, performances like this, compounded by team errors, do little to ease the scrutiny on Doohan’s position.
Doohan’s struggles were not isolated, as the Sprint Qualifying session proved chaotic for others as well. Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda also missed the chance for a final lap due to pit lane traffic, exiting in 18th and citing “poor communication” with his team. The session’s frenetic nature was evident, with teams misjudging their timing in the rush to get clean laps on the medium compound tires mandated for SQ1.
Despite the setback, Doohan found a silver lining in the Sprint weekend format, which offers another opportunity to redeem himself in Saturday’s main qualifying. “The Sprint’s going to be a tough one; we just need to learn as much as we can from that for the main race and then focus on the main qualifying,” he said, looking to move past the frustration.
The Alpine mishap overshadowed an otherwise historic session, as 18-year-old Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position, becoming the youngest polesitter in F1 history. Antonelli edged out championship leader Oscar Piastri by just 0.045 seconds, with Lando Norris and Max Verstappen rounding out the top four.