Why, as their rebuilding process is about to begin, Alpine decided to sign Doohan as a youth
Alpine have nailed down their line-up plans for 2025 by promoting Jack Doohan from reserve to full-time race driver alongside Pierre Gasly. F1 Correspondent Lawrence Barretto explains why they’ve gone for youth over experience…
Alpine were keen to sign Carlos Sainz for 2025 and fought hard to fend off competition from Sauber/Audi and Williams. But they lost out to the latter, with Sainz signing a multi-year deal with the famous British team just before the summer break.
That left the French manufacturer with a simple choice – promote from within and prove that their driver academy could bring a driver all the way through from junior formulae to Formula 1 or go for experience to complement Gasly.
Sources say they were in discussions with Valtteri Bottas, but the overwhelming feeling among senior management was that if they couldn’t entice Sainz back to Enstone, backing their driver academy in the shape of Doohan was the way forward.
The Australian – who finished second in F3 in 2021 and third in F2 in 2023 – has completed six FP1 sessions for the team, driven in the end-of-season Abu Dhabi test, tested the current spec car in a Pirelli tyre test and done more than 10 days in a 2022-spec car on a variety of circuits around the world.
Every time he’s driven the car, he has completed the programme diligently and professionally while his speed across low-fuel and long-runs was evident.
He’s clocked up hundreds of hours in the simulator, including on every Friday at a European race to help the team calibrate set-up for the race weekend. His feedback is clear and accurate – and that has endeared him to the race team.
When things haven’t gone his way – like in Canada where rain meant he hardly got any running in FP1 – he didn’t let his head drop or throw his toys out of the pram. He took the hit on the chin and focused on his next opportunity.
When he wasn’t in the car, he was performing all manner of marketing duties for the team with his cheerful personality – and ensured he kept himself in the shop window by throwing himself into media duties, from appearances as a pundit and as a co-host on broadcasts – including on F1 TV – to stints in the commentary and trackside analysis.
While Doohan knew that his performances on track, at the factory and with the team trackside were what mattered, he also realised the importance of staying relevant and plugged in to the sport. F1 moves so quickly, it’s easy to be forgotten when you drop off the radar.
Doohan has been patient and bided his time. Had Sainz joined, it could have been the end of his hopes of ever getting a race seat, as he would potentially be facing a third year as a reserve. But instead, the stars have aligned and he’s got his chance.
He should settle in quickly, having spent a lot of time with the team and done a significant amount of running in F1 machinery. He knows new team boss Oli Oakes, having raced for his Hitech team in Asian F3 in 2019 – so that should help the integration, especially as Oakes has experience working with young drivers.
The first race of 2025 – which will be his home Grand Prix – can’t come soon enough for him.
HALF TERM REPORT: Alpine – Another topsy-turvy year, but are the building blocks to stability finally in place?
Alpine choose youth as they regroup
Alpine are in the midst of a rebuild phase after a tumultuous 18 months that has seen them lose nearly all of their senior management across the leadership, technical and sporting teams. They started the year off by locking out the back row before fighting their way back into the midfield.
However, the relentless changes in staffing combined with difficult performance on track plus the uncertainty of their future engine supply (Alpine are assessing the possibility of closing down their power unit division and taking customer Mercedes engines from 2026) has made it tricky to attract experienced drivers.
New Alpine Team Principal Oliver Oakes knows Doohan after the Australian raced for his Hitech team in Asian F3
They are also rebuilding and while they hope to make a step forward next year – updates set to arrive in the second half of the season are focused on nailing a baseline for 2025 – it’s unlikely they’ll jump up to fight at the sharp end just yet.
So, it makes a lot of sense for them to cash in on their investment in youth by promoting Doohan and giving him a shot at the big time while they are in transition. Sources say it’s a one-year deal and thus it’s up to the 21-year-old to prove he deserves to stay in 2026 and beyond.
In Doohan they have a fast driver with a bubbly personality who is great for the brand – and Gasly is a formidable team mate who will be a good yardstick.
It also gives Alpine time to get their house in order, improve their fortunes and become a proposition so attractive, they have drivers beating down the door to sign for them.
And by promoting Doohan, it proves to young aspiring drivers that, by joining their academy, there is a genuine route all the way to Formula 1, thus making the programme more attractive and lucrative.
