Jack Doohan and Alpine Part Ways, Ending Long Saga
Jack Doohan and Alpine have officially parted ways, ending a prolonged saga after the Australian lost his race seat mid-season. He's now free to pursue other opportunities, with a move to Japan's Super Formula likely.
Jack Doohan's tenure at Alpine has officially concluded after the team announced a mutual agreement to part ways. The move ends a difficult eight-month period for the Australian driver, who was relegated to a reserve role with minimal duties after being replaced mid-season. Doohan is now free to explore his options for 2026 and beyond, seeking to revive his promising career.
Why it matters:
This concludes a challenging chapter for one of F1's most highly-rated juniors and provides clarity for both sides. For Doohan, it's a chance to reset and prove his talent elsewhere after a difficult debut season that ended prematurely. For Alpine, it allows the team to fully move on from a messy situation and concentrate its resources on its 2026 driver lineup of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.
The details:
- Mid-Season Replacement: Doohan was replaced by Franco Colapinto just six races into the 2025 season after a tough start that included two heavy crashes in Australia and Japan, and resulted in zero championship points.
- Limited Reserve Role: Following his demotion, Doohan received no testing opportunities and minimal simulator time, making his departure a formality and allowing him to seek a more substantive role elsewhere.
- Next Stop: Super Formula: The most likely destination for Doohan is Japan's Super Formula championship, where he is expected to race with the Kondo team he tested with late last year.
- This series is a highly competitive proving ground and could be pivotal in rebuilding his reputation for a potential F1 return.
- Potential F1 Link: A possible scenario involves Doohan pairing his Super Formula drive with a testing or reserve role at Haas. Kondo uses Toyota engines, and Haas has a technical partnership with Toyota, racing as "TGR Haas" in 2026, creating a potential pathway.
What's next:
Doohan's immediate focus will be on performing in Super Formula to catch the eye of F1 teams again. A successful season could be crucial for securing a test or reserve role in F1 for 2026, keeping his dream of a full-time return to the grid in 2027 alive. The path back is steep, but this separation provides the clean slate he desperately needed to rebuild his career.