“You won’t BELIEVE who Jack Doohan’s manager is btw”: F1 world dumbfounded after learning about ex-Alpine driver’s confidant who negotiated contract

F1 fans were surprised to know that Jack Doohan is managed by Flavio Briatore, who also serves as the executive advisor for the Alpine F1 team. Following the Miami GP, the French outfit once again made headlines for a high-profile departure and an immediate shake-up in its driver lineup.

Principal Oliver Oakes resigned from his role on Tuesday, May 6, night, with Flavio Briatore assuming his responsibilities. The next day, Alpine announced benching Jack Doohan, opting to pair Pierre Gasly with Franco Colapinto for the next five rounds, starting with the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on May 16-18.

After Alpine announced the driver swap, F1 fans wondered how Doohan’s manager could seemingly set him up for failure, unaware of Briatore’s involvement. Many were surprised to learn that Briatore had managed the young Australian driver, and the 22-year-old rookie essentially got sacked by his manager.

Following Colapinto's addition to the Alpine stable earlier this year, rumors circulated that Doohan could be replaced after the first six races, which turned out to be accurate. However, Briatore's conflicting roles as a manager and de facto team principal puzzled fans, with many wondering how the 75-year-old could act in the best interest of his client.

"You won’t BELIEVE who Jack Doohan’s manager is btw" a popular post on X read.

Another surprised F1 fan wrote:

"THERE AINT NO WAY. 😭😭😭 i'm shocked"

Briatore has a checkered history in Formula 1, winning championships with legends like Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso and his involvement in the Crashgate scandal, which earned him a ban. He returned in May 2024, joining Alpine as their executive advisor.

Here are a few more fan reactions to Briatore managing Doohan:

"Imagine being sacked by your manager who is the team principal',' an X user wrote.

"Nah I genuinely didn’t know and I am absolutely flabbergasted 🤯," a comment read.

"He controls him every millimetre after all," one comment referenced a Drive to Survive scene.

"I just googled it, and I've been in pure shock for the last couple of minutes," a bewildered F1 fan wrote.

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Jack Doohan breaks silence on Alpine's latest move

Doohan in Miami (Source: Getty)

Flavio Briatore indicated that Alpine wanted to assess its driver options heading into the 2026 season, so they made the decision to rotate their drivers. Franco Colapinto will take the race seat for the next five rounds, while Jack Doohan remains the first-choice reserve driver.

Doohan admitted that the decision was tough to digest but expressed confidence in the team's long-term goals. In a statement released by the team, the son of legendary MotoGP champion Mick Doohan said (via Alpine's official website):

"I am very proud to have achieved my lifelong ambition to be a professional Formula One driver, and I will forever be grateful to the team for helping me achieve this dream. Obviously, this latest chapter is a tough one for me to take because, as a professional driver, naturally I want to be racing."

"I appreciate the team’s trust and commitment. We have long-term goals as a team to achieve, and I will continue to give my maximum efforts in any way I can to help achieve those. For now, I will keep my head down, keep working hard, watch with interest the next five races and keep chasing my own personal goals."

Six rounds into the 2025 season, Jack Doohan is without a point and was involved in big crashes at the season opener in Australia and Japan. Meanwhile, his teammate Pierre Gasly is 12th in the standings, with seven points.