Doohan ticks off F1 return during productive FP1 in Mexico

Despite a challenging FP1 run plan, Jack Doohan put his head down to help Alpine gather crucial 2024 data during the team’s mandatory young driver test in Mexico. 

Doohan, current Reserve Driver and Alpine Academy member took to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the second time with Alpine, having also run during FP1 at last year’s Mexico City Grand Prix with the team. 

During this morning’s outing, however, Doohan ended the session in P18 with his fastest time being a 1:22.109.

“It wasn’t the easiest session, it wasn’t straightforward,” Doohan said.

“We had quite an intense… not an intense, but a structured program that we were going through that was doing with development for next year.

“The program, without obviously fully unloading… it was working towards next year, so trying to develop.

“I didn’t get the opportunity to set a quick lap time, doing strat performance, it was mainly trying to understand the program, expressing my feedback, and also some sustainable running.”

Jack is no stranger to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, having driven the A522 here in last year’s FP1 session. Image: Andy Hone / LAT Images.

Despite being 2.3 seconds off the quickest time, Doohan was the third fastest rookie, finishing almost eight-tenths behind Ollie Bearman in the Haas.

Sporting the #61, the Australian completed 24 laps across the hour, the lowest number of the five rookies also running in the session.

“All in all, it was actually a really strong session, sustainable running was really good. 

“We can’t really look into too much of the one-lap pace because it just wasn’t comparable.

“Consecutive laps, that all went well and obviously important that we were able to run through everything cleanly, and the guys got the information they needed.”

The young Australia is set to make another appearance in the A523 later this year, scheduled to step in for Esteban Ocon during FP1 in Abu Dhabi, also conducting the team’s tyre test on the following Tuesday. 

“Still don’t particularly know what my run plan will be, but, you know, i’ll enjoy hopefully being able to set a quick lap time.”

Jack Doohan, Alpine A523, during FP1 at the Mexico City GP. Image: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images.

Doohan is still competing in the Formula 2 Championship with Virtuosi Racing, in which a potential top-three finish in the championship at the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is well on the cards.

“It’s a busy weekend for sure.”

“From the close of FP1 to the start of F2 Qualifying is only about 12 minutes so it is very close, and if you take into part, you know, potentially doing the grid start as well you lose an extra few minutes.

“Before Abu Dhabi as well, I’ll be in Bahrain testing with the A521 with Alpine in the test program so I look forward to that.”

The Australian currently sits on 138 points in P4, 14 points behind Ayumu Iwasa, looking to chase that down in a month’s time.

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The P word also gets a run. The ongoing GT4 saga and a tribute to Allan Horsley.