Jack Doohan calls Alpine exit a ‘shock to the system’ as F1 outlook changes

Jack Doohan has described his early exit from Alpine’s Formula 1 race line-up as a “shock to the system”, opening up on the uncertainty that surrounded his brief spell with the Enstone-based team and the moment he realised he needed to look elsewhere.

Doohan reflects on a turbulent Alpine spell

Colapinto’s arrival immediately fuelled speculation that he could replace Doohan, with the Argentine understood to have been favoured by Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore. After the Miami Grand Prix, that speculation became reality: Colapinto was placed alongside Pierre Gasly from Imola onwards and did enough to secure a full-time seat with the team for the season.

“It was obviously strange times. It was a weird 12 months of achieving that dream, having a three-year contract — you’re never secure,” he said.

“But I thought I was in a strong position, even with the noise that was going around and the press. I was head down and trying to do my job, although it does affect you in some ways, especially as it goes on. I was quite content, and then it was quite a shock to the system.”

‘Always a carrot’ before the break point

Doohan also suggested there had been a sense of being encouraged to stay close to Alpine through the prospect of future opportunities, even as a comeback failed to materialise.

“It was a little bit of a difficult path, but there was in some ways, without going in too deep into it, always a bit of a carrot,” he explained.

“I was presented with opportunities of new possibilities in increments, so it never felt like it [a comeback] was so far away — at least that’s how it was at the start.”

The turning point, he said, came around Zandvoort and the end of the summer break in August, when he accepted he would not return to the car that season and had to assess his next move.

Doohan is now settled as a Haas reserve driver — a role that keeps him connected to F1 at a time when the team’s track programme remains active, including recent coverage of Haas FP1 plans — while also racing permanently with Nielsen Racing in the LMP2 class of the European Le Mans Series.

F1 no longer the only measure

His off-season also included a setback when a proposed Japanese Super Formula drive was lost after three crashes in three days during testing at Suzuka. But with his sportscar programme secured and an F1 reserve role in place, Doohan says his outlook has changed.

“I’m just focusing exactly on what’s in my control, which is doing my best when I’m trackside, opportunities inside the car when they come,” he said.

He added that returning to an F1 race seat would be “amazing”, but admitted he is no longer treating it as “the be-all and end-all.”

Doohan’s #24 car is ninth in the LMP2 standings, with the 4 Hours of Imola his next race on July 5.