What’s Doohan? Rumour mill hits overdrive as son of a gun makes Australian GP debut

Alpine has signed dynamic young Argentine Franco Colapinto as a reserve and possible replacement driver for Jack Doohan. The young Australian is bullish about the rumour mill going into overdrive.

Jack Doohan of Australia and Alpine F1 meets some fans during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park. Picture: Getty Images

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Jack Doohan is a swarthy, square-jawed, gum-chewing, steely-eyed, rugged, laddish, straight-talking young rev-head who will ignore the scuttlebutt surrounding his death-wobbling future and attack his first Australian Grand Prix like it’s his last ... while hoping beyond hope it isn’t.

Queensland’s 22-year-old Alpine driver, whose demeanour wouldn’t be out of place in the rough and tumble world of V8 Supercars, in particular on the podium at Bathurst, is contesting only his second Formula One race but he’s being bombarded with suggestions his job is on the line at Albert Park.

What’s doin’? Alpine has signed dynamic young Argentine Franco Colapinto as a reserve and possible replacement driver for Doohan or his French teammate Pierre Gasly this season. They’re on trial every time they hit the tarmac but Doohan is bullish about the rumour mill going into overdrive.

“Great question,” he says sarcastically. “To be honest, I haven’t been thinking about any of that. There’s no point thinking about rumours or commenting on them. I have a contract for at least this year, if not more. I look forward to many Grands Prix. The uncertainties, you don’t bother worrying about them anyway. I have to perform each and every time I’m in the car, regardless. I don’t have one guy chasing my seat. We actually have four now.”

He adds: “If you didn’t realise, we have four reserves. Not just Franco wants my seat ... I’m going to enjoy every race as if it’s my last. Because I’m going to enjoy each and every moment I’m in the car. I’m going to work had with the team and extract everything we can from the car. Deliver on track and deliver on whatever the car’s potential is. I’m super-keen just to get on the track. There’s been so much build-up.“

The 21-year-old Colapinto let rip in last year’s final nine race for Williams. Twice he finished in the top 10. Doohan, 22, and Gasly need to match those results or the Argentine, straining at the leash, is certain to be given one of their seats.

All Doohan can be doin’ is goin’ hell for leather at Albert Park. It’s rather a historic occasion in Australian motorsport. Talk about a royal family of rev-heads – the son of Mick, the five-time Grand Prix motorcycle world champion, is on the grid at the home GP after coming 15th in his F1 debut at Abu Dhabi in December.

“To be honest, going into Abu Dhabi, there was nerves,” Doohan says. “And to be honest, I was even thinking about here this weekend back then. My feelings have changed quite a lot. I’ve had so much time to digest this weekend is happening. A lot of off-season and I’ve become very comfortable and relaxed with what’s to come. Abu Dhabi was great just to go through the motions and learn how the weekend goes being in the drivers’ seat.”

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen, McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Alpine's Jack Doohan at a press conference at the Albert Park circuit on Thursday. Picture: AFP

Doohan denies his famous surname and racing in Australia alongside McLaren’s high-profile Oscar Piastri are potentially suffocating.

“I don’t necessarily agree there’s more pressure, especially because there’s two of us,” Doohan says. “I know I’m mentally fit, physically fit, I’ve done the groundwork. For me, the nerves and pressure shouldn’t really be an issue, knowing I’ve done everything I can to put my best foot forward. The rest, you don’t think about that. I’m just looking forward to driving. It’ll come as it will.”

Piastri is entering his third Australian GP. To Doohan, he says, “Enjoy it. It’s a busy week. It’s a busy weekend. It’s busier than everywhere else. As much as you try to say it’s just another weekend, it’s not. It’s different. For me, it hit pretty hard the first time I was here, especially growing up 15 minutes down the road. That was pretty special. My advice is to soak it all in and remember you only get to make your home debut once.”

If nothing else, Doohan will feature in F1’s next Netflix documentary. Which Piastri shuns. “I haven’t watched, to be honest,” he says. “I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what happens, so I don’t think I’ll watch it again on TV. I mean, there’s a lot of things in Drive To Survive, you never quite know how it’s been cut up.”