Doohan is poised to fill the empty Alpine F1® seat in 2025
Thursday, 1 August 2024
In what could be a pivotal shift for Australian motorsport, Jack Doohan is poised to make his Formula 1® racing debut with the Alpine team, partnering up with Pierre Gasly for the upcoming season.
This exciting development follows Carlos Sainz's recent decision to decline Alpine's offer, opting instead for a seat with Williams.
Jack Doohan, currently a reserve driver for Alpine and son of the legendary five-time 500cc motorcycle world champion Mick Doohan, has been on the radar for a main seat for some time.
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Despite a few nerve-wracking weeks, with new F1® team advisor Flavio Briatore lobbying for Sainz, Doohan's prospects remained strong.
The young Aussie's consistent performance and promise in F1® machinery evidently convinced the team that he's the right choice for the race seat.
Here are five reasons why Alpine should elevate Doohan to a full-time driver next year.
His performances from His F2® days are underrated
A knock on Doohan could be that he didn’t succeed in securing a championship in F2® or F3®, but that doesn’t paint the full picture.
If it wasn’t for a cracked chassis that went undetected during the first batch of races in the 2023 F2® season, Doohan could have easily clinched the championship.
Once this issue was rectified, he went on to win three feature races and was the quickest in the field.
His performance in the latter half of that season demonstrated his speed and skill, making a strong case for his potential in F1®.
Alpine need to justify their academy
Alpine has missed several opportunities to promote drivers from their academy, most notably losing Oscar Piastri to McLaren.
This is a situation that simply can’t happen to them again.
Promoting Doohan would not only justify the substantial investment in their young driver program but also prevent another talent from slipping through their fingers.
Strong technical input
Doohan’s technical feedback during testing and races has been praised for its detail and insight.
His ability to provide valuable information to enhance the car's performance makes him an asset to any F1® team, and Alpine could greatly benefit from his technical acumen.
Watch any of Doohan’s contributions to commentary and race analysis, and it’s clear that he’s well-versed in this area.
Youthful Energy and Long-Term Investment
F1® teams have historically been cautious about signing younger drivers, often favouring experience instead.
However, this trend is shifting, with young talents like Ollie Bearman confirmed at Haas and Kimi Antonelli likely to join Mercedes next year.
Younger drivers bring immense potential, and by investing in Doohan, Alpine could be securing a future racewinner and a long-term asset.
Strong Racing Pedigree
Jack Doohan’s racing pedigree is impressive, being the son of a five-time 500cc World Champion.
The Doohan name carries significant weight in motorsport, and Jack’s background gives him a unique perspective and determination to succeed at the highest level.
It’s also a good news story that Alpine could benefit from with significant media exposure.
Promoting Doohan could see Australia boasting up to three drivers on the F1® grid, provided Daniel Ricciardo retains his position.
Oscar Piastri has a contract with McLaren that stretches to 2026.
