Speculations about Doohan’s future with Alpine have been growing since the French Formula 1 team announced that their current driver, Esteban Ocon, will be leaving the team at the end of the 2024 season. The fact that Doohan immediately took over Ocon’s car after the announcement fueled rumors that he is being prepared to debut in the main category in 2025.
During an interview with Sky Sports F1 after his participation in FP1 in Canada, which was hindered by rain, Doohan was asked about his chances of replacing Ocon in 2025. In response, he acknowledged the uncertainty of everything in Formula 1 but expressed his dream of being on the grid and in Formula 1. As a reserve driver, he is diligently preparing for the opportunity to be in the car.
When asked about his readiness to move up to F1, the young Australian driver responded confidently: “Very. I have accumulated a significant amount of mileage in the 2021 car and spent two days in the 2022 car. When entering today’s FP1 in Canada, I felt extremely comfortable. Unlike previous FP1 sessions where nerves were present due to the jump from Formula 2, today I felt complete and without fear or discomfort. I truly believed I could get in the car and deliver an exceptional performance. Unfortunately, circumstances prevented us from demonstrating that, but that’s how things go. However, I was able to showcase my skills in the longer test sessions, which offer more time than just one hour within a weather window!”
Doohan, who finished second in the 2021 Formula 3 Championship and competed in Formula 2 in 2022, finishing his first season in sixth place, concluded by highlighting his achievements in the 2023 F2 season, where he finished third overall.
