Doohan replaces Ocon in opening practice in Montreal

Former F2 driver and current Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan will take over Esteban Ocon's car for the opening practice of this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, the French outfit has announced two days ahead of the Montreal round.

Formula One teams have been mandated to run 'young' drivers in FP1s twice a year since the start of the 2023. Alpine has now announced that it will complete its first mandatory young driver run in Montreal with Esteban Ocon handing over his car to Jack Doohan.

"In Canada, we have decided to use the first mandatory young driver Free Practice 1, with Jack Doohan in the car in place of Esteban, giving him the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the A524. With Jack’s great work in the simulator in recent races, we can count on his valuable feedback in Montréal," team boss Bruno Famin said.

Esteban Ocon has endured a difficult spell in recent weeks. The Frenchman tangled with his team-mate Pierre Gasly on the first lap at the Monaco Grand Prix for which he has received heavy criticism.

The one-time F1 race winner then announced this week that he will part ways with Alpine at the end of the current season, albeit he is yet to confirm his future plans.

"A lot has been said in recent days, so I am very much looking forward to driving again and getting back out on track. My focus and energy is fully dedicated to the team and maximising our results on track, starting already this weekend in Canada.

"The pace we showed in Monaco was positive, particularly in Qualifying trim where we had the opportunity to get both cars into Q3. As a team, we have been making steady progress over the course of the season. Despite the circuit characteristics being quite different, hopefully we can carry momentum into Montréal and show similar speed as we did in Monaco. The field is extremely close at the moment, so extracting every bit of performance counts.

"Montréal is an event I really enjoy returning to each year. The fans are incredible, the track is fun to drive, and the city really embraces the event. The city centre has a festival atmosphere and also a French flavour alongside it! The fans always come out in huge numbers whatever the weather, which as we have seen in the past can be quite unpredictable.

"From the latest weather forecast, we could be in for more of the same this weekend. Straight-line speed is important in Montréal, as is stability under braking and riding the kerbs. Also, the track can be quite bumpy in certain places, so it will be interesting to see how the car behaves with the new asphalt," concluded Ocon.

Having embarked on his second season with Alpine, Pierre Gasly has endured a difficult start to the season. However, the Frenchman finally made his first Q3 appearance in Monaco, and managed to secure his first point in the 78-lap race in Monte Carlo.

"It felt a long time coming, but it was good to score my first point of the season in Monaco. The performance felt much more together than in previous races. We did not begin in such a positive state but we made strong improvements between Friday and Saturday, which made us quick enough to be in Q3.

"While that was pleasing in itself, as it was our first Q3 visit of the year, it was definitely a missed opportunity as we had the pace and I had the confidence in the car to be higher up on the grid. Even so, tenth is where we ended up and that’s where we ended the race. A point is a good reward but we must keep pushing for more.

Expanding on the forthcoming race weekend in Montreal, Gasly said: "Next up is Canada. It’s always an interesting place to race as it’s a non-permanent circuit, which brings some interesting challenges throughout.

"We are expecting a much smoother layout since the track has been resurfaced but that might also mean grip is low especially on Friday Practice day. In the last two seasons, we have seen a wet Qualifying.

"We will have to be aware on the variety in conditions we might see throughout the weekend in Montréal and be ready for anything. Right now, though, I am pleased with the progress in recent weeks and we must aim to continue that with positive on track performances," Gasly concluded.