Will Jack Doohan Fill the Vacant Alpine Seat in 2025?

Alpine team principal Bruno Famin has weighed in on the chances of Jack Doohan, the team's reserve driver, securing a coveted race seat for the 2025 season. With Esteban Ocon confirmed to be stepping away from the team at the end of 2024, and Pierre Gasly's future with Alpine still hanging in the balance, many eyes are turning to Doohan as a potential contender.

Jack Doohan, the promising 21-year-old Australian driver and son of five-time 500cc motorcycle world champion Mick Doohan, has been making significant strides within the F1 circuit. As a runner-up in the F3 championship and a race winner in F2, Doohan has been steadily accumulating valuable testing mileage with Alpine. His latest free practice session during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend solidified his growing reputation.

Rising Through the Ranks

Since 2022, Doohan has been part of the Alpine Academy, refining his skills through extensive virtual and on-track testing. His consistent progression has not gone unnoticed. The young talent has had the opportunity to showcase his potential during FP1 appearances in Mexico and Abu Dhabi in both 2022 and 2023.

Bruno Famin has emphasized that Doohan is among the options being considered for the 2025 seat. “I think he’s an option, for sure – Jack is an option,” Famin stated in an interview with Sky Sports F1. While Famin cautiously added that Doohan is one possibility among others, his heavy testing schedule and the team's satisfaction with his progress suggest he's a strong candidate.

Preparation and Determination

Famin noted the intensive preparation Doohan is undergoing. “He has a quite heavy testing programme, and we are happy with that. Let’s see how he develops,” Famin remarked. Despite Doohan being a viable option, Famin remained non-committal about his standing compared to other potential candidates. “There is no… I won’t comment, I won’t answer that one. Well tried!” Famin quipped when pressed on whether Doohan is the leading candidate.

Doohan, however, feels ready for the challenge. He has expressed confidence in his readiness to compete at the highest level. “It’s difficult to say anything with Formula 1 is for certain. My dream is to be on the grid, my dream is to be in Formula 1. I’m here with the team as a reserve driver preparing myself to be in the car,” said Doohan.

The Road Ahead

With a combination of virtual and real-life experience under his belt, Doohan is focused on positioning himself for a potential race seat. “That is where I want to be, and every time I get to do that, whether it’s the sim or on track, experiencing myself with marketing, in comms, I’m trying to position myself to get that opportunity,” he explained. Doohan is under no illusions about the competitive nature of securing a seat in F1, yet his resolve remains firm: “Nothing is for certain, there’s no givens, but I want to be there.”

As Alpine navigates the transitional phase with Ocon's impending exit and the uncertainty surrounding Gasly, Doohan's persistence and performance will be closely scrutinized. Whether or not he secures the race seat, his efforts continue to demonstrate the determination required to achieve success in the upper echelons of motorsport.