Axed F1 star loses ANOTHER seat in new last-minute blow

Jack Doohan and Daniel Ricciardo share a joke at the Canadian Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

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Axed F1 star loses ANOTHER seat in new last-minute blow

Jack Doohan was axed by Alpine last year

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 31 January 2026 17:52 Updated: 19:04

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Former F1 star Jack Doohan has been handed yet another blow to his racing career, after a full-time seat opportunity fell through.

Australian racer Doohan is currently looking for his next opportunity, having been dropped as an Alpine development driver at the end of the 2025 season.

This time last year, Doohan was gearing up for his rookie season in F1, drafted into a full-time seat at Alpine alongside Pierre Gasly. However, that rookie season lasted for just six race weekends, before the team opted to replace him with Franco Colapinto, who did not score a single point in the remaining 18 race weekends of the season.

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Following that F1 disappointment and a subsequent exit from the Alpine setup altogether, Doohan completed a post-season test in Super Formula with the Kondo Racing team at the Suzuka Circuit, although he struggled, crashing out at the same corner on all three days of the test.

However, the Australian was still expected to be given a full-time seat in the series for 2026, with Kondo Racing believed to be the team that would give him that opportunity.

Now though, it appears Doohan's chances of claiming a full-time racing seat have taken another hit, with Kondo Racing instead opting to sign Japanese racer Ukyo Sasahara to sit alongside Luke Browning for 2026, completing the 23-driver Super Formula driver lineup.

According to Autosport, part of the reason for Doohan's failed move was that he hadn't realised he would have to at least part fund his seat in Super Formula, allegedly causing a breakdown in the negotiations.

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What next for Jack Doohan?

Doohan's Kondo Racing move was set to potentially open a door back into F1, with Kondo's Toyota links meaning that he was also being linked with a reserve driver role at Haas, who are also partnered with Toyota.

That Super Formula seat may also have reinvigorated his racing career, with a title battle in the series working wonders for both Liam Lawson and Ayumu Iwasa in recent years.

Instead, the 23-year-old Aussie will be shopping around for his next move once again, with limited options now available with most series' 2026 season fast approaching.

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F1 Alpine Jack Doohan