Jack Doohan has officially signed with the BWT Alpine F1 Team, securing a position alongside Pierre Gasly for the 2025 season.
“We are very excited to promote Jack into the race seat from next season and, in doing so, giving him the opportunity to showcase his skill and talent in Formula 1,” said Oliver Oakes, the newly appointed principal for the Enstone outlet.
“Jack will become the first driver to graduate from the Alpine Academy into a race driver position with the team, so that is exceptionally pleasing for the team and its young driver pathway.
The young Australian is currently a reserve driver for the Enstone outfit, and made a strong impression with his performance during several testing sessions, where he accumulated valuable experience behind the wheel of a Formula One car.
Doohan is one of three new people joining the grid next year, along with Oliver Bearman, who will race for Haas, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who is anticipated to secure a seat with Mercedes.
“I am so happy to secure promotion into a full-time race seat in 2025 with BWT Alpine F1 Team,” said Doohan. “I am very grateful for the trust and belief by the team’s senior management.
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The Path to the Pinnacle of Racing
The young driver began karting competitively in 2012, receiving his first kart from his former neighbour, the seven-time F 1 champion Michael Schumacher.
He competed at this level for five years before advancing to the British Formula 4 Championship. His impressive performances led to a promotion to the Asian Formula Three Championship the following year, where the rising star achieved a runner-up finish in the 2019 period.
Doohan's journey continued in FIA Formula 3, where he struggled in his maiden season, and did not score any points.
In 2021, however, a switch to a new team paid off, a move to Trident in the number 4 car finishing second in the championship and the Aussie earned a promotion to F2. He secured sixth place in the championship standings in 2022 and improved to third in 2023.
Prior to his contract announcement, the young talent had not held a full-time seat in any racing series since his last year of F2. Instead, Alpine hired him in a reserve capacity to support Pierre Gasly and the outgoing Ocon.
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The Second Option?
Doohan has been a strong contender for a 2025 Alpine seat for some time, but this goal was brought into jeopardy when the team's new advisor Flavio Briatore pitched Carlos Sainz, as an option, due to the fact the Spaniard's Ferrari contract was set to expire in 2025.
Following Sainz's recent decision to join Williams, the French manufacturer has been assessing its remaining choices for next year.
Had the Spanish driver accepted, the door would have closed for Doohan, leaving him with no other apparent paths to make the step up to the top tier of international open-wheel motorsport.
As the 2024 F 1 season progresses, the Enstone based operation has faced a challenging year, with their performance struggling to gain momentum.
Throughout the first half of the campaign, the team managed to accumulate only 11 points and position themselves eighth in the Constructors' Standings.
After a disappointing start with no points yielding finishes in the initial five races, Alpine's fortunes saw a modest improvement in subsequent rounds. Their tally has been characterized by sporadic successes—securing one point in Miami, another in Monaco, and a trio of top ten finishes in Canada and Spain.
However, results have been inconsistent, as they failed to score in Emilia Romagna, Great Britain, and Hungary.
Is Alpine the right place for new talent?
On the positive side, Alpine could be an excellent environment for the young prospect, as he will have the opportunity to learn from Gasly, an established name who could serve as a valuable mentor on the grid.
However, the decision also has its drawbacks as the French outfit has faced its own struggles this season, and their recent history of internal driver conflicts and inconsistent performances—highlighted by the notable rivalry between Ocon and Gasly—might not provide the best environment for a youngster aiming to establish himself.
Nevertheless, Alpine’s enthusiasm for nurturing new talent bodes well for Doohan, and if he can navigate these challenges, his future with the team could be promising.
“It’s an exciting moment, a proud day for my family, and I look forward to taking it all in and pushing hard behind the scenes.”
