Jack Doohan and Alpine Officially Part Ways: What’s Next for the Aussie?
It’s always tough seeing a young driver hit a speed bump, especially one with as much promise as Jack Doohan. But as they say in racing, sometimes you have to pit before you can get back in the fast lane. It’s been confirmed: Doohan is officially leaving the Alpine family to chase new opportunities.
If you’ve been following the F1 drama over the last year, this might not come as a total shock, but it still stings a bit for Aussie fans. The team released a statement on Tuesday confirming they’ve reached a “mutual agreement” to end his contract ahead of the 2026 season.
A Short-Lived Dream in the Top Tier
It feels like just yesterday we were celebrating his promotion. Remember that? He was the first real success story of the Alpine Academy, finally graduating to a full race seat. He made his debut at the tail end of 2024 in Abu Dhabi after the team split with Esteban Ocon early. There was a lot of hope riding on those shoulders.
Unfortunately, the fairytale didn’t last long. Jack got his shot in the 2025 season, but after just six rounds, the team made a hard call. They brought in Franco Colapinto, the former Williams super-sub, who turned a lot of heads to replace him. At the time, they called it a “seat rotation,” but in F1, that usually means one thing.
Colapinto kept the seat for the rest of the season, and Doohan found himself back on the sidelines, demoted to test and reserve duties. It’s a brutal sport, isn’t it? One minute you’re on the grid, the next you’re watching the monitors in the garage.
Despite how it ended, Alpine kept it classy in their goodbye. They thanked Jack for his “commitment and professionalism” over the last four years, both on and off the track. And credit to Jack for handling a public demotion with grace. It isn’t easy for anyone, let alone a guy in his early twenties with the competitive DNA of a motorcycle world champion father (Mick Doohan) running through his veins.
Where Does Doohan Go From Here?
So, what is the next chapter for Doohan? That’s the big question. Right now, nothing is set in stone. However, he was seen testing Super Formula machinery late last year. Japan’s Super Formula series is often a fantastic proving ground for drivers looking to sharpen their skills or find a route back to the top. Pierre Gasly or Liam Lawson are examples of this.
That being said, it hasn’t been smooth sailing there either. There are reports that suggest he had a rough time during a test at Suzuka, crashing three times at the same corner. But if there’s one thing we know about racing drivers, it’s that they are resilient. You crash, you rebuild, you go again.
The Alpine Picture Moving Forward
For Alpine, the show goes on. They are sticking with their lineup of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, and they’ve got Paul Aron, the former F2 racer, waiting in the wings as a backup. The team is clearly looking to stabilize after a rocky couple of years.
As for Jack, we’re all rooting for him. He’s got the talent and the pedigree. Sometimes, stepping away from an environment that isn’t working is the best thing you can do for your career. Here’s hoping we see him back in a cockpit where he belongs sooner rather than later. Clearly, he has talent. We just haven’t seen a lot of it yet. Good luck, Jack. We’ll be watching.
