Aussie rising star Jack Doohan has his sights firmly set on Formula 1 after getting his first taste of a grand prix weekend in Mexico City.
Doohan took part in first practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix as the most senior member of Alpine’s junior driver academy, standing in for Esteban Ocon.
It was the culmination of his junior program with the team that has so far featured three private tests in last year’s car as well as 100 kilometres in the current Alpine for a filming day.
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The 19-year-old has impressed in his standout rookie Formula 2 campaign this season, sitting fourth in the championship with three wins, including in the feature race at Spa-Francorchamps. He could finish in the top three depending on results at the final round of the year.
He was briefly considered for a sudden elevation to Formula 1 for next season when both Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri defected from the team during the mid-season break, but Alpine instead signed Pierre Gasly, giving Doohan a second campaign in Formula 2 to hone his craft.
Another practice session is also on his horizon at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as part of the team’s efforts to better embed him into its grand prix operation, and Doohan said it was part of the plan to ready him for his eventual F1 debut.
“I’m just trying to prepare myself as much as possible and kind of maximise what I can do — learn as much from the team and try and really embed myself with the team so if the opportunity does arise to get in the car or become a full-time driver, I‘m more than ready,” he told select media, including Fox Sports. “That’s what Alpine are helping me to do and really that’s the plan.
“I‘m part of their future, which I’m a very thankful for.
“This is the plan: to obviously win Formula 2 next year as well as be in the best possible position to see what the future holds.”
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It’s a role similar to that held by Piastri before he split with the team. That process remains ongoing, with McLaren so far signalling that it doesn’t expect to get access to the Australian until next year.
But despite Piastri being shuffled towards the exit, Doohan said he hadn’t yet been given his compatriot’s reserve-driver status for this season or next.
“I haven’t had any clarification on that,” he said. An Alpine spokesperson added that an announcement on reserve drivers would be made “in due course”.
Regardless of the formalities, there’s no doubt Doohan’s path to Formula 1 has opened dramatically in the last 12 months.
His decision at the end of last year to switch to the Alpine program from Red Bull’s junior academy — which is much celebrated but held at arm’s length from Red Bull Racing — has paid dividends in terms of his connectedness to a Formula 1 team and the active development he’s receiving.
It’s also put him in a prime position to capitalise from the turmoil in Alpine’s driver roster, elevating him to the top of the junior program just as the best of his Formula 2 results started to flow.
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Asked whether he could see his route into Formula 1, Doohan said he was confident.
“For sure I see that,” he said. “The possibility is there. I just need to obviously keep on working doing the best that I possibly can and keep working with Alpine, because they‘ve been, honestly, amazing to me.
“I‘m really proud to be part of the team, and I hope to be a part of their future and in the long plan, because from just working with the team in the past two events and my short periods while in F2, we have amazing potential here.
“Good things are 100 per cent coming, so to be part of it in the future should be really cool.
“They’ve helped me so much, from joining the academy in January to doing my first FP1 session now in October, so they‘re looking after me really well.
“I can‘t wait to repay the favour hopefully in years to come.”
