Jack Doohan has revealed the truth behind a quick clip of him chatting with Alpine team principal Bruno Famin he claims garnered "so much media publicity".
Doohan and Famin were spotted chatting on a balcony above the Alpine garage following the Monaco Grand Prix. The inference at the time was that the Frenchman was discussing a future drive with the Australian after what had unfolded during the race.
Famin was left furious after Esteban Ocon had crashed into team-mate Pierre Gasly on the opening lap, citing "consequences" for the 27-year-old, and opening the door for a raft of speculation.
Ocon was handed a five-place grid penalty by the stewards for the following race in Canada, leading to an FP1 drive for Doohan, albeit wrecked by the weather and the 21-year-old unable to set a timed lap.
The conversation between Famin and Doohan, however, sparked considerable debate. Doohan has now cleared up the situation, and it is hilarious as it is innocuous.
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Speaking on Sky Sports F1, Doohan said: "That chat, that got so much media publicity, was actually [us] talking about Kush Maini's Formula 2 season.
"It just got so blown out [of proportion]. Kush, you couldn't see him, he was out of vision, but he's been suffering with a cracked chassis since Imola, had a shocking two rounds, and it's something I went through for five rounds last year.
"So we were just informing Bruno and speaking about that. It was just at the wrong time, and it blows up in the press."
Maini joined Alpine's Academy programme in October last year, and earlier this month took part in his first test with the team in a two-year-old car at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
Following a reasonable start to the F2 season with Invicta Racing - the team Doohan drove for last year - Maini's issues with the car has led to him scoring just one point from the last two rounds in Imola and Monaco.
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