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F1 Rookie Faced Death Threats and Needed Security Before Alpine Dropped Him for Rising Star

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated May 8, 2025 8:56 AM ET

Jack Doohan’s brief F1 career took a harrowing turn before his departure from Alpine. The 22-year-old Australian, son of MotoGP legend Mick Doohan, was replaced by Argentine driver Franco Colapinto after just six races in the 2025 season.

However, the on track challenges were compounded with the off-track threats that necessitated personal security measures.

According to renowned F1 photographer Kym Illman, Doohan received numerous threats online, particularly from Colapinto’s fans. These threats extended beyond Doohan to his girlfriend, Ebony Zippora Gold, and his father, Mick Doohan.

The severity of the situation led Doohan to hire around-the-clock security in Miami, with plans to maintain this protection for the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix.

Illman reported that individuals had discovered Doohan’s personal email address, sending threatening messages that deeply affected him and his family. The psychological toll was evident, with Doohan’s sleep reportedly disrupted during this period.

On the performance front, Doohan struggled to make a significant impact, failing to score points in his six races. His average position was 14.75 compared to teammate Pierre Gasly’s average of 11. A notable incident was a crash during FP2 in Suzuka, where he failed to close the DRS at Turn 1, resulting in a high-speed accident.

The decision to replace Doohan with Colapinto was reportedly made before the Miami Grand Prix, but Doohan was informed only after the race to avoid affecting his performance. This change coincided with the resignation of Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes, who was succeeded by Flavio Briatore.

Doohan’s experience highlights how brutal Formula 1 is. As Illman pointed out, “This is a sport where performance talks and money.”

After scoring a drive with Williams last year, Colapinto had ignited a wave of enthusiasm in Argentina, contributing to a noticeable rise in F1’s popularity there. Alongside that, he brings substantial backing from huge sponsors like Mercado Libre and Globant, and a massive fanbase.. That’s a huge boost for the sport and the team who will benefit from the sale of Colapinto’s merchandise.

| Jack Doohan's father, Mick Doohan, has shared these images on his Instagram story: pic.twitter.com/9ib3HbUMKh
— formularacers (@formularacers_) May 8, 2025

Statistically, Colapinto edges out Doohan. He scored five points in nine races, despite three DNFs and holds an average finishing position of 11.17 — just behind Gasly.

As Illman notes, “Franco is a marketer’s dream. Young, good looking, enthusiastic and exciting on track. And when you meet him, you will love him. He’s got a real spark. A spark that obviously caught the eye of Flavio Briatore.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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