Jack Doohan handed Haas audition as 2027 F1 return moves closer

Doohan gets a route back to Formula 1

Jack Doohan is set to receive a significant opportunity to revive his Formula 1 career, with Haas preparing to evaluate the Australian as it considers Esteban Ocon’s replacement for 2027.

The test could provide Doohan with a concrete opportunity to demonstrate that he is ready to return to the grid. Haas will use an older-specification car to assess his suitability, giving the former Alpine driver a rare chance to make his case on track rather than from the reserve-driver role.

A second chance after Alpine disappointment

The decision had been heavily anticipated after Alpine agreed to bring Colapinto in on loan from Williams before the campaign began. That situation placed Doohan under intense pressure from the outset. He subsequently remained Alpine’s reserve driver for the rest of 2025, although his exit from the team was only confirmed in January after an early termination of his reserve contract.

Doohan then joined Haas as its reserve driver for 2026, providing cover for Ocon and Bearman. That move has now opened a possible path back into a race cockpit—although the competition is substantial.

Haas weighing several candidates

Haas will also conduct a TPC test at Portimao after the Dutch Grand Prix. McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli, Ferrari junior Rafael Camara and Haas reserve Ryo Hirakawa are expected to be involved in what amounts to a wider evaluation of the team’s options.

Fornaroli is reportedly ahead of Camara in Haas’s thinking. His consecutive Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles have strengthened his case, while Camara arrives as the reigning Formula 3 champion and a rookie contender for the 2026 Formula 2 title. Alexander Dunne’s F2 campaign underlines the depth of young-driver competition surrounding the next generation.

That means Doohan’s Jerez test may not guarantee a genuine shot at the seat. If Fornaroli or Camara impresses first at Portimao, Haas could make its decision before the Australian gets his opportunity. For Doohan, the message is clear: Jerez may be his best—and perhaps final—chance to turn a reserve role into an F1 return.