Doohan admits Alpine 'no brainer' Sainz pursuit was 'difficult to accept'

Jack Doohan has admitted it was "difficult" knowing his chance in F1 hinged on the decision Carlos Sainz made on his future.

The Australian driver will embark on his rookie campaign alongside Pierre Gasly next season, but was at risk of losing out to the outgoing Ferrari driver, who is understood to have been the number one option at Alpine - as well as at Stake (Audi) and Williams, where he ultimately signed.

Having spent this year in the Alpine reserve role, the junior driver has logged countless hours in the simulator, aiding the team effort over F1 weekends and has undergone a testing programme to ready himself for the next step.

However, with Sainz still an option to the French squad, it was an opportunity that could have passed him by, with the 21-year-old telling Sky Sports F1 that he was "stoked" when he found out the Spaniard had chosen Williams.

"It's a difficult one to accept, to know that my future is dictated by someone else and someone else's decision," Doohan told media including RacingNews365 when asked how nerve-racking it was having name of Sainz's calibre linked to the seat. 

"It's a no brainer - any midfield team would take someone of the likes of Carlos Sainz, with his rich experience, race winning experience and the marketability that he brings.

"But I'm confident in the stage that we are at with Team Enstone that I was the right choice to take, and to embark on this journey that we're going on.

"So, I'm hoping to be added value to the steps and the changes that we're making to ensure that we get to where we want to go."

Doohan had a 'rabbit it chase'

Alpine announced Esteban Ocon would leave the team at the end of the season in the run up to the Canadian Grand Prix in June.

In doing so, it enforced speculation that had been growing even before his Monaco first-lap mishap with his team-mate.

Even taking Sainz out of the equation, who was thrust into frame after the Spanish Grand Prix, a number of drivers were in contention for the seat alongside Gasly, including Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu and family friend Mick Schumacher.

Despite the wide pool of competition, Doohan remained the favourite for the seat. However, it was not a given it would go to the Australian, who knew he had to "bide his time", admitting it was a risk to not race this season whilst others did.

"After the first quarter of the year, I knew there was a contention -  there was a rabbit to chase, a possibility that I can fight for this," he explained.

"There was no given task. There was obviously a lot of people [other drivers] that were still out of contract and so much going on, so I had to be very patient and bide my time and and really plead my case, make sure I maximised every time I got behind the wheel.

"And I'm grateful that the patience paid off - as well as not racing, because that is a risk, but potentially, if I didn't take that risk, this wouldn't have happened."