Lawson has returned to Racing Bulls for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix following a tough two-race stint at the energy drink brand’s senior operation.
While not wanting to be drawn too deeply into the New Zealander’s situation, Doohan did note that it highlighted the level of expectations placed on young drivers.
“I feel for him, but he’s still in Formula 1,” the Australian said.
“I had rumours I wasn’t good enough to drive before I drove [in F1]!
“He’s an extremely talented driver and, for one reason or another, had a very hard time.
“But again, only two races… it’s a shame but to be honest, he’s going to be more of a threat at RB than potentially he was at Racing Bulls!
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“It’s a cut-throat sport, and especially in that situation,” he added.
“I don’t want to comment too much on it, but in a top team especially, this is Formula 1, it’s a business where they rely on performance and results.
“He was in a very, very tricky situation and we know how tough that Red Bull is to drive.”
Doohan and Lawson make up a third of the rookie drivers in F1 this season, with Gabriel Bortoleto, Oliver Bearman, Kimi Antonelli, and Isack Hadjar all embarking on their first (in most instances full) season.
The unwritten expectation is that the sextet will quickly match their relative teammates despite their inexperience.
Meanwhile, veterans like Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton switched teams and have publicly underscored how it will take time to gel with their new machinery.
It creates something of a contradiction where the experienced drivers are afforded more leeway than those who arguably need it more.
“It’s a good point,” Doohan agreed.
The Aussie has consistently been central to speculation that he’s on the way out at Alpine, with claims the team is poised to parachute Franco Colapinto in his place at the first opportunity.
“I see stuff like, whether it’s Carlos being out-qualified by Alex [Albon] by three-tenths, three-and-a-half-tenths and it’s fine,” Doohan noted.
“And it’s fine; he need time to learn the car.
“But if I was a tenth-and-a-half off Pierre [Gasly] as a rookie, I’m sure there’d be press everywhere saying I should be replaced.
“You come in an these guys like Alex or even Pierre here have been driving this car for the past three days; they know it very well; its ins, its outs,” he added.
“Carlos is an extremely talented, highly respected, racing-winning driver, and he comes, and he has things that he likes to do with the car, and maybe he’s not able to exactly do that, and it does take time.
“Some people maybe hop in and the arrive and drive is better, and others not.”
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Doohan’s own time behind the wheel will be reduced this weekend as he makes way for Ryo Hirakawa in opening practice.
The Japanese driver in among Alpine’s fleet of reserves and had been named for the opening hour of track action in Suzuka.
It will leave Doohan with just two hours of practice instead of the usual three, while veteran teammate Gasly performs the bulk of the foundation work on car set-up for the weekend.
“I don’t honestly think it’ll hurt us,” Doohan said.
“I think the focuses of why I’ve been sat out are for a good reason in the end, which should benefit us all.”
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