Making an appearance at the Autosport Awards in London recently, Jack Doohan has shared his thoughts on what it means to be an official Formula 1 driver and how he is looking forward to cementing his future at the Alpine F1 team in the upcoming season.
Following Esteban Ocon’s shock departure from the team ahead of the season-closing Abu Dhabi GP in 2024, Doohan made an early F1 debut for Alpine at the Yas Marina Circuit. While a P20 in qualifying was nothing to rave about, he gained a few positions during the race and took the chequered flag in fifteenth place.
On his way to F1, the son of five-time MotoGP champion Mick Doohan finished P2 in the 2021 FIA Formula 3 Championship. He graduated to Formula 2 and claimed the third position in the championship in 2023. The 21-year-old bagged three victories and five podiums.
Since the infamous contract dispute that saw Oscar Piastri sever ties with Alpine and join forces with McLaren, Doohan has become the first Alpine Academy driver to earn a full-time race seat at the French team. Having taken part in two rookie practice sessions last year as a reserve driver, the 22-year-old also added to his F1 mileage in the post-season testing in Abu Dhabi.
Jack Doohan on how it feels to be an official Alpine F1 driver
In a conversation with F1 content creator Lissie Mackintosh, Doohan opened up about his feelings of being a full-time Formula 1 driver. He will partner Frenchman Pierre Gasly at Alpine for the F1 2025 season.
Dismissing that the announcement has had any additional impact on his life, Doohan responded that he prefers to not let the official status influence his approach to racing. He acknowledged that he is delighted to secure an F1 drive. The Australian driver stated he is simply looking forward to getting behind the wheel.
“To be honest, no. I think you can either let it or not. And I am definitely not the person to let it.
“I just have a huge passion for racing cars and it’s a pleasure to be a Formula 1 driver. But I am just looking forward to racing my race car.”
Familiarising himself with the world of F1
Pre-season testing is due to commence in Bahrain at the end of the month. Many F1 drivers have got their hands full working at the factory. They are also representing their teams at events off track. Speaking to Sky Sports, Doohan, who was accompanying teammate Gasly at the Autosport Awards, commented on how he is settling in and whether it is satisfying to be part of the F1 world.
“Yeah, for sure. You know, it’s a super special time for me. I’m stoked to be a part of it. Been with the team all last week as well at the start of the week, and to spend a great day capturing our moments ahead of the year as well today.”
Focused on cementing his position at Alpine F1 in 2025
As he gears up for the season opener on his home turf next month, the young Aussie faces considerable pressure. This comes with the addition of Franco Colapinto to the team’s roster of test and reserve drivers. The Argentine driver turned the heads of many with his dynamic debut for Williams last year. Pit Debrief learned that Doohan faces a six-race audition to secure his future in F1.
Oliver Oakes declared that he will get a fair chance to prove his worth to the team. Doohan claimed that he is highly motivated to meet their expectations and let his performance on track do the talking.
“Yeah, I’m very motivated. I look forward to be honest just to getting on track and doing the work with my hands and my feet and steering that car as best as I can.”
In terms of whether 2025 represents a special year for drivers stepping up to F1 with six rookies making their full-time debut and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton racing for Ferrari, the Queensland native admitted that he is privileged to secure one of the most coveted seats in motorsport. Doohan remarked he is intent on cementing his position at Alpine and securing his future in F1.
“For sure, you know, super special. I’ve been watching these guys ever since I was a little boy, especially Lewis [Hamilton]. So to be coming in to be one of the twenty drivers on the grid, it’s super special.
“And I look forward to cementing my place here for the future.”
