– Did Jack Doohan never have a fair chance at Alpine? At least the Australian suggests in an interview with F1.com that it was clear from the start that he would lose his cockpit with the French team at the beginning of the 2025 Formula 1 season after just a few races.
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“Without getting too depressed, it was a kind of moment you’ve worked your whole life for, which is to become a Formula 1 driver. And unfortunately, I would say that the time from October 2024 to maybe even October 2025 was probably among the hardest twelve months of my young life,” said Doohan.
The now 23-year-old recalls: “At the end of 2024, there were already some rumors that spread a somewhat eerie and strange mood, and that continued over the winter into 2025, which was not exactly conducive to the atmosphere.”
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Doohan had taken over Esteban Ocon’s cockpit at the 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi and was already confirmed as a regular driver for 2025 at that time. But during the winter, rumors emerged that Alpine was already planning to replace him with Franco Colapinto to replace.
In fact, that’s exactly what happened in the end, and after the first six races of the season, Doohan had to make way for the Argentine. “I should have had a lot of time in the car and I also thought I would have it,” Doohan emphasizes.
“But it was very clear that Miami would be my last race, so my fate was sealed in a way. My time was limited from the start, and it’s difficult to make the best of things when you know what’s coming,” said the Australian.
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New beginning for Doohan at Haas
Neither Doohan nor Colapinto scored points during the 2025 season. Nevertheless, the Argentine was later confirmed by Alpine for 2026 as well. Doohan would have wished for that much patience too, but instead, he apparently never felt truly wanted in Enstone.
“I don’t think the situation, the environment, the atmosphere could have developed much worse than it was under normal circumstances,” he looks back and explains: “To be honest, it was a great pity, but I’m trying to put that behind me and start fresh.”
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“It would of course be a dream to get the chance [in Formula 1] again,” said Doohan, who joined Haas as a reserve driver for the 2026 season. Curiously, Doohan has thus “fled” to exactly the same team that his predecessor Ocon had already moved to previously.
According to his own statement, returning to a regular cockpit is not a priority for Doohan for now. He emphasizes: “If everything develops well and the opportunity arises, I will grab it with both hands. But until then, I will focus on everything in my power to help the guys.”
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“It would be a bit selfish to think about myself now. I’ll put that aside, and if I can make a contribution that helps the team move forward, then I’m sure that won’t put me in a bad position either,” said Doohan.
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