Flavio Briatore has hinted that Jack Doohan's Formula 1 future with Alpine might not be as secure as it seems, despite his recent debut in Abu Dhabi.

The 21-year-old Australian stepped into Esteban Ocon's Alpine seat for the final race of 2024, followed by participation in the post-season test.

Doohan expressed gratitude for the opportunity, posting on X: "Extremely grateful for the knowledge and experience gained—a day I had dreamt about my whole life. A big thank you to the entire Alpine team for the weekend, I couldn't be happier going into my debut season in 2025."

However, rumours circulating in the Abu Dhabi paddock last weekend suggested that Briatore, the newly appointed Alpine team advisor, may have placed Doohan in the car as part of a pressure test.

The speculation included suggestions that Briatore was leveraging Doohan's position to put pressure on Williams as well as Franco Colapinto's sponsors, with Williams boss James Vowles setting a mid-December deadline for discussions about the impressive Argentine rookie.

"We are still open to all discussions," Vowles told Blick newspaper. "Whether it's about two, three or four years, everything has its price."

When asked by Auto Hebdo about the possibility of replacing Doohan with Colapinto for 2025, Briatore gave a measured but striking response: "My job is to put Alpine back on top. There is never room for feelings in Formula 1."

Adding fuel to the rumours, Colapinto—who reportedly has strong financial backing from multiple Argentine sponsors—was seen in conversation with Briatore during the Abu Dhabi weekend.