Jack Doohan, 21, is set to become the 19th Australian and the first from Queensland to enter Formula 1, marking a significant milestone in his career. His debut highlights the challenges of making it to F1 and staying in the sport, especially as he becomes the fourth driver to join mid-season this year.
How prepared is Doohan for F1 racing? | 06:23It’s always a historic occasion when an Australian makes it to Formula 1 , and Jack Doohan ’s fast-tracked debut will be no exception.
Ocon was already set to depart Alpine at the end of the year after a rollercoaster partnership with the French team. Then team principal Bruno Famin was so incensed he appeared prepared to sack him on the spot, though he was eventually talked down.PODCAST: McLaren and Ferrari will take the constructors championship down to the first this weekend in Abu Dhabi after a stalemate in Qatar. Meanwhile, at Alpine, Jack Doohan is preparing to make his shock F1 debut in place of the ousted Esteban Ocon ahead of his first full-time season in 2025.
With Doohan obviously available to step up immediately, Alpine was motivated to start its next chapter early. What’s more, because Williams had already signed Carlos Sainz for 2025 — for whom Alpine was also bidding — Colapinto has no drive for next season. That’s not least because, along with obvious speed, Colapinto also brings with him considerable sponsorship, especially with the prospect of a potential Argentine Grand Prix to follow should he establish himself in the sport.
And before you wonder whether Alpine could be so ruthless with one of its own juniors before he’s barely had a chance to drive, remember that Ocon is the only race winner and the longest tenured driver in the team’s modern history and still got the flick without the dignity of a farewell race.So what will it take for Doohan to pass his first test?He won’t be measured against just his teammate; he’ll also be compared to the other rookie debutants this year.
“I think the problem is you’ve got the benchmark that Bearman set , which was phenomenal,” Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes said, per“And I mean this in a nice way, as he’s hugely talented, but you had Kimi with the sort of pressure in Monza . If he can hold his seat to next year — which, even amid these rumours, is surely highly likely — the threat will rapidly recede. Not only will he be able to quickly close the experience gap to Colapinto, but he’ll be the only one of the two on the grid, absorbing all the spotlight while Colapinto battles for relevance from the sidelines.
He’s been embedded in the team every weekend. For the European rounds he’s also been on the simulator on Friday night, working on a testing program in parallel with the practice sessions, and then flying to the track in time for track action on Saturday. What he hasn’t done in the last 12 months, however, is feel the pressure of a qualifying lap or the tension of a race start. He hasn’t had to nail a racing pit stop or manage a tyre stint while also competing with other cars.
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