Jack Doohan has confirmed he has turned down race seats in other series including Indycar, as the Alpine reserve driver targets a full time race seat in Formula 1.
Photo Credit: BWT Alpine F1 Team
Speaking after running for Alpine during the Abu Dhabi post-season test, Jack Doohan has confirmed his ambition to enter Formula 1 in a race seat, having turned down opportunities to drive elsewhere. The 2023 Formula 2 third place finisher has already confirmed he will not return to the series for a third season next year.
“I was very fortunate to have those options.”
Speaking after the test, Doohan confirmed he does not have any race seat lined up for the 2023 season, despite offers from series outside of Formula 1. The young Australian aims to focus entirely on Formula 1 in order to maximise his chances of a race seat.
“At the moment, I don’t have anything set to race,” he said. “I had quite a lot of options and in all sub formulas, and inside formulas other than Formula 1. So not that the opportunities were shy – Super Formula, IndyCar, Hypercar, whatever it was – I was very fortunate to have those options.
“However, at this point in time, I feel it’s crucial that I focus only on Formula 1, which is heavily provided by Alpine that I’m able to stay within a car.”
“I can make sure that I do the job in the best possible way.”
With Doohan set to continue in his role as test and reserve driver for Alpine next season, he discussed the valuable information gained from running in Formula 1 machinery. Doohan sees his running as preparation in the event he is required to step in for Alpine, even though he is yet to drive a current generation Formula 1 car.
The regulations surrounding testing will allow Doohan to experience 2022 machinery from next season, affording him the experience of the current regulation cars.
“It’s very valuable,” he said of testing. “Testing recently has been in the ’21 cars, so we know that ’21 to ’23, it’s been quite a step and quite a lot of differences – starting off with the massive tyres and a little bit heavier, more downforce.
“But at least the ’22 to ’24 characteristics will be, there will be some similarities. It will be in a semi-similar sort of weight ratio, also on 18-inch tyres. It’s just about getting myself really into some race weekend formats to make sure that if I do have to hop in the car and do have to step in, that I can make sure that I do the job in the best possible way.”
“I think that’s going to position myself in the best possible way…”
When pushed further on his lack of a full-time drive next season, Doohan noted Alpine would have a packed run programme next season, but admits that had this not been the case, he likely would have looked elsewhere for seat time.
“If I wasn’t going to have this extensive programme, then for sure I would need seat time, and that would be venturing out somewhere else,” he said. “But being able to have that seat time in a Formula 1 machine and then be at the track here doing some work, I think that’s going to position myself in the best possible way to land a seat in ’25.”
