By Graham Duxbury @TheRealDux

Jack Doohan’s tough start to his Formula One career continued after the Australian crashed out of last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix on the opening lap.

The controversial accident with Racing Bull’s Liam Lawson immediately sparked rumours that Doohan would be replaced at the Alpine F1 team within days.

Yesterday, these rumours became fact as the team officially confirmed that Franco Colapinto will replace Doohan for the next five races of this season, starting at next week-end's Emilia Romagna GP in Imola.

Doohan has been relieved of his duties after six difficult race weekends over which the rookie showed flashes of one-lap pace but struggled to deliver consistent race weekends.

This announcement comes hot on the heels of news that Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes had resigned and leaves with immediate effect. Are the two announcement connected in any way?

Oakes, who became Alpine boss last summer, will have his duties taken over by executive advisor Flavio Briatore, who oversaw multiple world titles for Benetton in the 1990s and Renault in the mid-2000s.