Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly qualified on the back row of the grid for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Things were marginally better in Saudi Arabia last weekend, though a gearbox issue forced Gasly out of the race at the end of the opening lap.

It’s a result that leaves the Frenchman in the unenviable position of being 21st in the drivers’ championship despite there only being 20 regular drivers.

Ahead of the season, Alpine braced fans for a potentially difficult start by highlighting that the A524 is an all-new machine – only the steering wheel has transferred over from 2023.

It was a move made to open up development avenues that were otherwise closed off. The team has arguably taken a step backwards to go forward.

“There’s optimism,” said Doohan, whose role in helping the team progress has been described as ‘critical’.

“The fact that it was a poor start definitely isn’t great, but we had to make a big change and a big difference.

“We had to turn the car completely upside down. We have two more years with the car till the ’26 regulations, and [the car] needed to be changed.”

The A524 failed to impress during pre-season testing amid concerns the car is some way above the 796kg minimum weight limit.

After locking out the back row in Bahrain, Ocon and Gasly finished 17th and 18th, respectively.

In Jeddah, on a markedly different style of circuit, Ocon finished 13th having been trapped in the train of cars behind Kevin Magnussen.

“I would love to say that could be an upwards and onwards trajectory but I don’t want to emphasise that because we know we go to Melbourne in two weeks to a completely different circuit,” Doohan warned.

“But we’re really working hard. I’m in the sim quite a lot as well.

“So I’m hoping that we can really make use [of that in] these tough moments and make even better ones later in the year.”

Doohan’s optimism comes despite Alpine shedding its technical director, aerodynamics lead, and technical advisor Bob Bell.

A three-pillar technical structure has been created in their place with internal promotions filling the voids for now.

Meanwhile, Doohan, who is without a race programme in 2024, will drive a 2000-spec Benetton in Albert Park next weekend as part of a demonstration with his five-time motorcycling world champion father, Mick.