Formula 1 is already showing its first signs for the upcoming season. After testing, McLaren is positioned as the most prominent team, closely followed by Red Bull. Julien Simon-Chautemps, former engineer of Kimi Räikkönen at Alpha Romeo, revealed that the time difference between Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan was considerable. This could open the door for Argentine Franco Colapinto to take Doohan's place if the results do not meet Flavio Briatore's expectations, the team's leader.
Chautemps highlighted Alpine's impressive performance in testing, mentioning that they were consistently P5 ahead of the rest. Additionally, he pointed out that Ferrari is present, although it has not shown the same pace as McLaren. However, they are expected to be in the fight for the top positions.
Regarding the drivers, according to the French engineer, it is observed that Mercedes and Ferrari are very close in performance, although they are having difficulties with tire management. Among the drivers who could replace Doohan are Paul Aron, Ryo Hirakawa, Kuch Maini, and especially Franco Colapinto, who has previous F1 experience.
If Doohan is ultimately replaced, Alpine's management will consider including a reserve driver to fill the vacancy. It is also confirmed that Pierre Gasly is ahead of Doohan in performance, highlighting his current position in the team.
