Jack Doohan confirmed as Alpine F1 driver 

Australia’s Jack Doohan has officially been announced as an Alpine Formula 1 driver for the 2025 season.

Doohan will join the already signed and announced Pierre Gasly to form the team’s driver pairing for next season, becoming the first Alpine Academy prospect to graduate into a race seat with the team. 

The 21-year-old Australian – son of the legendary five-time 500cc motorcycling world champion – Mick Doohan – has served as the team’s Reserve Driver for the past two years after a successful junior career in international single-seater racing, and has spent 2024 off the track in an extensive testing and sim program.

“I am so happy to secure promotion into a full-time race seat in 2025 with BWT Alpine F1 Team,” Doohan said. 

“I am very grateful for the trust and belief by the team’s senior management. There is so much work ahead to be prepared and ready and I will give my best in the meantime to absorb as much information and knowledge to be ready for the step up. 

“It’s exceptionally satisfying to be the first graduate of the Alpine Academy to be in a race seat with the team and I’m extremely thankful to those who supported me along the way to make this a reality. It’s an exciting moment, a proud day for my family, and I look forward to taking it all in and pushing hard behind the scenes.”

Doohan driving the 2024 spec Alpine F1 car at the Canadian Grand prix during Free Practice. Image: LAT

Newly appointed Team Principal Oliver Oakes was delighted to be able to share the news, which puts Doohan front and centre of the teams ambitions to improve following some difficult seasons.

”We are very excited to promote Jack into the race seat from next season and, in doing so, giving him the opportunity to showcase his skill and talent in Formula 1,” he said.

“Jack will become the first driver to graduate from the Alpine Academy into a race driver position with the team, so that is exceptionally pleasing for the team and its young driver pathway. Personally, I have worked with Jack back in 2019 and I am fully aware of his raw talent and potential.

Jack and his father Mick join a unique breed of Motorsport drivers as a father and son to have both raced at the highest level in their respective machinery. Image: LAT

“He is a very hard worker behind the scenes and his commitment is hugely valued by the entire team. Alongside Pierre, we have a well-balanced driver line-up with a good combination between youthful energy, experience, and pure speed. We look forward to working with both Jack and Pierre in order to keep developing the car and bring the team up the grid.”

on his way to the coveted F1 seat, Doohan finished runner-up in the 2021 FIA Formula 3 Championship, and third in the 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship, before taking up the full-time Reserve Driver role with the French squad in 2024, where he has been a valuable contributor in the team’s driver in loop simulator.

Doohan was also the first driver in F2 history to take pole position, race win, fastest lap, and lead every lap of a Feature Race at the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Doohan lifts his third F2 Feature Race trophy of the season at Yas Marina in 2023

He recorded six wins in the category as well as five pole positions and a further five podium finishes during two seasons of competition.

He will continue his role as Reserve Driver for the remainder of the 2024 season, taking part in regular Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) events in the A522 Formula 1 car, as well as duties in the team’s simulator on select race weekends.

The news of Doohan’s signing comes on the same day that Kiwi Liam Lawson was publicly declared a definite 2025 starter in a Red Bull or RB machine, meaning that if Daniel Ricciardo survives as a driver into next season, Doohan will join McLaren Oscar Piastri as the fourth Trans-Tasman F1 driver on the 2025 grid.

Speculation on Doohan being promoted to the seat has been rife since Esteban Ocon crudely took out Gasly in Monaco on the first lap, and over the last few weeks, the word around paddock was that it was a done deal following the announcement of Ocon’s departure to HAAS to team up with Oliver Bearman.

AUTO ACTION’s previous issue #1892 featured Jack Doohan’s imminent announcement

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