Jack Doohan has been labelled a "strong-headed character" who will be unperturbed by factionalism in F1 and, in particular, surrounding his seat at Alpine.
That vote of confidence comes from former F1 driver and three-time Le Mans winner Allan McNish, who has known the 22-year-old since he was a "wee boy."
The Scotsman feels that given Doohan's exposure to high-level motorsport from a young age, with his father being a five-time Motorcycle champion in the series that is now MotoGP, it will be no "surprise" to encounter the intensity currently engulfing his F1 future.
Doohan, who fared well in pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, signed with Alpine over the summer, having been a member of its academy since 2022 and the team's reserve driver last term.
However, Franco Colapinto's stint with Williams over the final nine rounds of the campaign has triggered widespread speculation the Enstone-based squad wants to get the Argentine into the car alongside Pierre Gasly.
Alpine subsequently added further weight to those rumours by negotiating Colapinto out of his Williams deal, signing him as its newest reserve and test driver, alongside Paul Aron and Ryo Hirakawa.
If the team has not thrust further pressure upon Doohan, it has certainly crystallised the threat to the rookie's position within it.
Although, to McNish, that is no more or no less than the Australian would have expected. The former Toyota F1 driver was also quick to highlight that Doohan has earned his chance at the top table of single-seater racing.
"It's a tougher environment, but he's got his backside in a seat because he's delivered," the 55-year-old said when asked by RacingNews365 for his view of the situation.
"Now the opportunity is there, and you've got to take the opportunity when it's there with you.
"He's a strong-headed character, and from that perspective, he's been in and around the sport a long time.
"It's not as if it's a surprise that there's different factions going on."
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