Alpine team principal says F1 hopeful Jack Doohan is being ‘prepared’ for race seat

With the departure of a controversial driver at the end of the year, Australian F1 hopeful Jack Doohan is firming as the man to usurp his seat.

The energy behind Aussie Formula 1 hopeful Jack Doohan continues to mount after Alpine star Esteban Ocon revealed he’d be leaving the team at the end of the year.

Doohan, who is currently Alpine’s reserve driver, was positioning himself as a prime contender for a race seat in 2025, even before Ocon’s imminent departure was announced.

However, it is Doohan’s behind-the-scenes efforts that truly bolster his case for a seat at the French-owned team.

Since joining Alpine in early 2022, the 21-year-old has accumulated five FP1 appearances and participated in the post-Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test twice.

This year, he has been deeply involved in Alpine’s driver-in-loop simulator program, designed to integrate academy drivers more thoroughly.

He is also part of a test program using the 2022 Alpine A522, which commenced at Zandvoort last month.

These initiatives have unexpectedly become his proving grounds for a Formula 1 promotion in 2025, rather than a racing stint in Formula 2 or another series. Doohan’s relentless and professional approach, combined with his undeniable speed, has earned him respect within the team, making him a strong candidate for a career-defining opportunity.

Speaking to Sky Sports Alpine team principal Bruno Famin hinted that Doohan was inches from locking in his seat.

Famin has been forced to deal with a woefully underperforming car this year, alongside regular spats between Ocon and his teammate Pierre Gasly.

The energy behind Aussie Formula 1 hopeful Jack Doohan continues to mount after Alpine star Esteban Ocon revealed he’d be leaving the team at the end of the year.

Ocon is leaving Alpine after a rough season on track.

“We are preparing him,” he said. “He has been testing for a long time. He has quite a heavy testing program, and we’re happy with that. Let’s see how he develops.

“He is one possibility, among others, but he is a possibility for sure.”

Doohan said he’s enjoyed being the reserve driver and says he’s taking every single opportunity by the scruff of the neck to prove he’s the team’s best long-term pick.

“That’s a great opportunity, not being a full-time driver, and there’s the FP1 sessions. I didn’t get much running here, so I’m looking forward to more, but I am as prepared as I possibly could be for F1,” Doohan said via The Race.

“You have to make it what you want. You could sit here, be in a shirt and just cross your fingers and hope that someone’s going to say, ‘Here’s an F1 contract,’ but it just doesn’t happen like that. I’ve made sure that I’m doing my utmost from morning to evening to maximise myself and give myself the best chance possible.

“Nothing happens for nothing and nobody is here to hand out anything for no reason, so I’m trying to make the most of when I am in the car, whether that be in testing, on a sim, or even making the most of my marketing and communications duties. F1 is a big picture, and yes, being fast in the car is very important, but where we get our funding from is sponsors and marketing, and that’s massively important. We’re also representing Renault Group and Alpine Cars, so there’s a big picture.”

Jack Doohan had a lot of work to do during a wet FP1 in Canada.

Amid the off-track drama, Alpine have endured a dismal season so far and sit equal ninth in the constructors’ standings with just two championship points.

Mick Schumacher, Yuki Tsuonda, Liam Lawson, Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, Felipe Drugovich and Victor Martins are other options to take Ocon’s spot.

The 2025 F1 grid is beginning to take shape, with Red Bull confirming Sergio Perez would remain with the world champions for a further two years through to the end of the 2026 season.

Perez’s contract extension effectively shuts the door on Daniel Ricciardo’s hopes of a fairytale return to Red Bull, while all eyes are now on where Ferrari discard Carlos Sainz chooses to go.

The grid did not change in last year’s off-season, but there is expected to be significant driver turnover in this year’s ‘silly season’.

Highly touted youngsters and academy prospects including Red Bull reserve Lawson, Ferrari’s Ollie Bearman and Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli could all be on the grid soon.

Logan Sargeant, Bottas, Zhou, Kevin Magnussen and Pierre Gasly are under pressure to keep their seats.