Tag: Jack Doohan

Schumacher to test alongside Doohan as Alpine explores driver options

Mick Schumacher will take part in an Alpine test alongside reserve driver Jack Doohan as the team continues to weigh up its driver options for 2025. The test will be in a 2022 car at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, as part of the testing of …

Mick Schumacher will take part in an Alpine test alongside reserve driver Jack Doohan as the team continues to weigh up its driver options for 2025.

The test will be in a 2022 car at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, as part of the testing of previous cars (TPC) running that is allowed under the regulations with two-year-old machinery. Alpine has been giving Doohan plenty of track time and the latest test continues his development alongside his FP1 and simulator work, but Schumacher will also get an outing.

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“As part of our TPC program, we will test reserve driver Jack Doohan, in line with his 2024 schedule, as well as Mick Schumacher as part of his Alpine Endurance project next week at Circuit Paul Ricard,” an Alpine spokesperson said. “We look forward to continuing to use our Race Support Team and the A522 Formula 1 car during our TPC program.”

Schumacher is part of Alpine’s sportscar team competing in the World Endurance Championship and raced in the top class at Le Mans 10 days ago, but both of the team’s cars were retired around the quarter-distance mark due to suspected engine issues.

While he’s been testing with Mercedes and in old McLaren machinery, the timing of the Alpine run comes with the team analyzing its options for 2025, with Esteban Ocon announced as leaving the team at the end of the year. That leaves at least one vacancy – with Alpine keen to retain Pierre Gasly but his future also still unconfirmed – and both Doohan and Schumacher are understood to be under consideration.

Doohan has not yet raced in F1 while Schumacher completed two seasons with Haas before losing his seat at the end of 2022, being replaced by Nico Hulkenberg.

Carlos Sainz is also a target for Alpine but the French constructor is believed to still be ranked as the outside option behind Williams and Stake – the future Audi entry – while Zhou Guanyu has also been interested in a return to Alpine having come through the young driver program there, and Zhou’s current teammate Valtteri Bottas is also still on the market.

Doohan ‘more ready than ever’ for Alpine race seat

Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan says he feels “more ready than ever” if he gets the chance to step up into a race seat with the team in 2025. Doohan has been linked with the vacancy created by Esteban Ocon’s departure from Alpine at the end of …

Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan says he feels “more ready than ever” if he gets the chance to step up into a race seat with the team in 2025.

Doohan has been linked with the vacancy created by Esteban Ocon’s departure from Alpine at the end of this season, with Pierre Gasly’s future also unconfirmed. The Australian has been carrying out numerous private tests with previous Alpine cars but also made his first FP1 appearance of the season in a rain-hit practice session in Canada, and he believes he has been well prepared for a potential promotion if it is forthcoming.

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“It’s obviously a great opportunity, it’s my dream to be in Formula 1 and I want to be on the grid next year,” Doohan told SpeedCity Broadcasting. “If the opportunity presents itself here then that would be amazing. I’ve been building and growing with this team now for the last three years, so it would be a great transition.

“I went testing a lot in the 2021 machinery and also 2022, so I feel more ready than ever, I felt extremely comfortably coming into [the FP1 run] as well, so it’ll be a natural transition. But I’ll keep my head down, I’m here as reserve driver.

“I’m taking it day-by-day and if everything aligns then great, but I’ll just keep working and make sure that I maximize my job on track when I get the opportunity – hopefully more laps than [Canada]! – and off the track whether that’s in the sim or with the [race team].”

Doohan says he doesn’t know how the rest of his FP1 outings might look while there is uncertainty over the race seats moving forward.

“Really we’re not even looking too far into the future. There’s so much to be decided and so much happening as well know, so we’re really taking it, honestly, day-by-day, and session-by-session. I think with things happening sooner rather than later that will all fall into place in due course.”

Doohan also stated his FP1 outing in Canada was not a reaction to the controversy in Monaco, where Ocon was criticized for trying to overtake Gasly on the opening lap and causing a collision between the two Alpine cars.

Alpine confirms Doohan FP1 outings in Mexico, Abu Dhabi

Jack Doohan will drive for Alpine in FP1 at both the Mexico City Grand Prix and the season final in Abu Dhabi as part of the team’s mandatory rookie outings. The Alpine reserve driver took part in FP1s at the same two venues last year and will …

Jack Doohan will drive for Alpine in FP1 at both the Mexico City Grand Prix and the season final in Abu Dhabi as part of the team’s mandatory rookie outings.

The Alpine reserve driver took part in FP1s at the same two venues last year and will continue his development this year. Doohan is currently fourth in the Formula 2 championship and has a chance of finishing as runner-up with one round remaining, but has been preparing for F1 outings with a testing program alongside his F2 duties.

“It is a huge honor to be given the opportunity to drive a Formula 1 car on a grand prix weekend for the second year in a row,” Doohan said. “I am very grateful to BWT Alpine F1 Team for the chance to drive the A523 in Free Practice in both Mexico and Abu Dhabi.

“I have been working really hard with the team this year as their reserve driver, taking every opportunity to learn as much as possible for them and I feel prepared to step up and take over driving duties for the team. My sole focus is doing what is required of me by the team in order to contribute positively to the team’s outcome across the two grand prix weekends.”

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Interim team principal Bruno Famin says Doohan has impressed with his approach whenever he has had a chance to work with the F1 team, even if his own focus is on his final races of the season.

“It is great to announce that Jack will be taking over driving duties in Mexico and Abu Dhabi for the two Free Practice 1 sessions,” Famin said. “Jack has worked hard over the course of the year as BWT Alpine F1 Team’s reserve driver and his attitude to learn the ropes in that role has been very pleasing to see.

“His main priority remains finishing his Formula 2 campaign in the best possible way in Abu Dhabi, however, we look forward to supporting him in the two Free Practice sessions and having his contribution to the team’s performance.”