Former Red Bull star targets F1 return
Former Red Bull star targets F1 return
Alpine junior Jack Doohan has explained why he has elected to concentrate solely on testing for the Anglo-French team in 2024.
Doohan, the son of five-time world motorcycle champion Mick Doohan, has been an Alpine junior driver since 2022 after previously being a member of the Red Bull junior team from 2017 to 2021.
After finishing runner-up to Dennis Hauger in the 2021 Formula 3 championship, Doohan graduated to Formula 2 with UNI-Virtuosi Racing for 2022, winning three times and finishing sixth in the drivers standings.
In his second year of F2 in 2023, Doohan won three more races and finished third in the drivers' standings behind Mercedes junior Frederik Vesti and champion Theo Pourchaire.
Doohan also participated in four FP1 sessions for Alpine during 2022 and 2023, helping the team fulfil its mandatory two rookie FP1 sessions.
But despite gaining plenty of experience and being competitive in F2, Doohan could not graduate to F1 as no team elected to change their driver lineups for 2024.
READ MORE: F1 drivers out of contract: Hamilton heads select group
Instead, Doohan will now conduct a private testing programme throughout 2024 and will spend time on the simulator to help Alpine’s regular drivers, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. In addition, Doohan will be Alpine’s reserve driver and remain on standby if Gasly and Ocon cannot race.
Doohan even turned down a chance to join Alpine’s two-car team for the World Endurance Championship [WEC] alongside friend Mick Schumacher to solely concentrate on F1.
"Leaving aside the regular drivers, I will be the man with the most kilometres in a Formula 1 car in 2024," Doohan told Speedweek. “And we're not talking about short stints here. We're talking about race distances on a dry track and on a wet track, in high temperatures and in clammy conditions. I will be on track in all conditions, and that makes me an attractive alternative for the GP teams."
"My entire focus this year is on being one of the 20 drivers on the Formula 1 grid next season. I want to show Alpine team boss Bruno Famin that there is no way around me if Pierre or Esteban leave the team.
"I have a multi-year contract with Alpine, I see my future here. I've been here for three years now, I know everyone at the team well, and the atmosphere is great.
"As far as my programme is concerned, I will drive a 2021 car for one day and a 2022 car for nine days. I will adapt quickly, just like I did in Abu Dhabi [in] 2023. I drove the first practice session at the Yas Marina Circuit after my Formula 2 stint and was only half a tenth of a second slower than Pierre Gasly."
"We've split it like this. For all races that are more than a three-hour flight from the factory, I'll be there from A to Z. For the other races, and that includes all the grands prix in Europe, I sit in the simulator on Friday and then go to the venue.
"We talked about it [going to WEC], but we quickly came to the conclusion that it would be better to concentrate on Formula 1."
READ MORE: Horner verdict could spark major Red Bull problem claims F1 winner
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Red Bull announce strong statement over Newey departure claims
- 21 minutes ago
Verstappen 'to meet Mercedes over SHOCK 2025 move as Red Bull exit clause revealed'
- 1 hour ago
F1 champion reveals £100 MILLION contract to keep racing
- 2 hours ago
F1 News Today: Newey 'property hunt' reveals Red Bull exit clues as Hamilton hints at Ferrari swoop
- 2 hours ago
Sky Sports F1 pundit calls for RADICAL change with impressive argument
- 3 hours ago
- 1
Newey TURNED DOWN F1 rivals before Red Bull decision
- Today 15:56
Related news
F1 decision announced regarding points system change
F1 boss HITS BACK at star driver over schedule complaints
F1 franchise welcomes return of INCREDIBLE feature
F1 legend issues DAMNING verdict on proposed rule change
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860