Doohan O.K: Alpine Promote Jack Doohan to a Full-Time Race Seat for 2025

Doohan has been Alpine's reserve driver since 2023. Between 2023 and 2024, he underwent an extensive testing programme to prepare for his opportunity to race in Formula 1. He will replace 2021 Hungarian GP winner Esteban Ocon, who moves to Haas for 2025, partnering current Ferrari junior driver Oliver Bearman.

The son of five-time world motorcycle champion Mick Doohan, younger Doohan hasn't raced in any series in 2024 to focus on his reserve driver duties. These include late-night simulator sessions to assist Gasly and Ocon during the weekend before joining the team at the track for qualifying onwards.

The Australian is managed by recently appointed Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore, who combines his commitments to Doohan and the Anglo-French team by looking after long-term client Fernando Alonso's affairs.

For the remainder of 2024, he will remain Alpine's reserve driver and continue his testing programme in the team's 2022 A522 machine.

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

The rise and rise of Jack Doohan

Rather than following in his father's footsteps, the 21-year-old from the Gold Coast's introduction to motor racing came through a famous family friend. Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, a former next-door neighbour of Mick in Monaco, gave Doohan and his sister go-karts at age three, starting his journey to F1.

His karting record showcased early glimpses of his natural talent. He became the Australian champion for two consecutive years in 2015 and 2016, earning the support of Red Bull, who signed him up to their junior team for 2017. After finishing third in the European karting championship, he finally graduated to cars in 2018.

Moving to the F4 British Championship, Doohan finished fifth with three wins. He also had brief cameos in the Italian and German F4 series.

For 2019, he moved up to the Euroformula Open Championship with the Double R team but endured a difficult season, finishing 12th in the final standings. A move to the official Formula 3 championship with HWA Racelab in 2020 also didn't bear fruit, as he failed to score a single point all season.

But 2021 was a turning point in Doohan's career. Now driving for the front-running Trident team, the Australian enjoyed a tremendous second season, winning four times and finishing runners-up to Dennis Hauger, helping the Italian wrap up the team's title.

Over the winter of 2021, he decided to leave the Red Bull family and join the Alpine Academy as he moved to Formula 2 with the UNI-Virtuosi team for 2022.

His first season in F2 was a good one. He took three wins on course to sixth in the drivers' championship. He also debuted in an official F1 session, representing Alpine in FP1s at the Mexico City and Abu Dhabi GP weekends.

Despite being unable to mount a title tilt in 2023, Doohan secured another trio of wins for UNI-Virtuosi, finishing third in the standings behind eventual champion Theo Pourchaire. With compatriot Oscar Piastri's sudden departure to McLaren in 2022, he was promoted to Alpine's reserve driver, taking part in two more FP1s again in Mexico and Abu Dhabi.