Alpine tried to sign Carlos Sainz for 2025 but they lost out to Williams, with Sainz signing a multi-year deal with the famous British team just before the summer break. Bottas or a return for Mick Schumacher were also discussed, but the team preferred “new blood”. This left the French manufacturer with a simple choice: promote internally to prove that its driving academy could take a driver from junior formulas to Formula 1, especially after the snub of losing Oscar Piastri in 2022. There are also Zhou, who came to F1 via Alfa Romeo Sauber, or Christian Lundgaard who eventually landed in Indycar. The Alpine academy is finally leading to something. The more cynical will say that it is a choice by default, with Briatore having downplayed the importance of the choice of driver who, according to him, “doesn’t make a difference at the moment”compared to the technical and organizational challenges that the team must overcome.
Patience has paid off
The Australian – son of five-time motorcycle world champion Mick Doohan – finished second in F3 in 2021 and third in F2 in 2023. His track record is nothing short of phenomenal, but his past experience with the team certainly helped. He completed six Free Practice 1 sessions for the team, took part in the Abu Dhabi end-of-season test, tested the current-spec car in a Pirelli tyre test and completed over 10 days in a 2022-spec car at various circuits around the world. His experience also includes hundreds of hours in the simulator, including every Friday at a European race to help the team calibrate the set-up for the race weekend. He knows new team boss Oli Oakes, who raced for his Hitech team in Asian F3 in 2019 – so that should make integration easier, especially as Oakes has experience with young drivers.
Alpine is rebuilding after a tumultuous 18 months that saw them lose almost all of their senior management, technical and sporting teams. Constant personnel changes combined with struggling track performances and uncertainty over their future engine supply (Alpine is weighing up the possibility of closing its powertrain division and taking customer Mercedes engines from 2026) have made it difficult to attract experienced drivers.
One year to secure your place
It makes sense to capitalize on their investment in youth by promoting Doohan and giving him a chance to succeed while they are in transition. Sources say this is of a one-year contract and that it is therefore up to Doohan to prove that he deserves to stay in 2026 and beyond. Let’s not forget that Flavio Briatore is at the helm and that results will have to come very quickly, otherwise the ejection seat can quickly be triggered. Ask Roberto Moreno. In any case, it is nice to finally see a new face, while promotion seems increasingly complicated for the last few seasons for young people from F2. Despite their championship titles in 2022 and 2023 respectively, Felipe Drugovitch and Théo Pourchaire know something about it…
Jack Doohan
“I am very grateful for the trust and confidence of the senior management of the team. There is so much work to do to be prepared and ready and I will do my best in the meantime to absorb as much information and knowledge to be ready for the next step. It is extremely satisfying to be the first Alpine Academy graduate to race with the team and I am extremely grateful to those who have supported me along the way to make this a reality. It is an exciting moment, a proud day for my family, and I am looking forward to figuring it all out and working hard behind the scenes.”
Oliver Oakes, the new director of the Alpine team
“We are very pleased to promote Jack to the wheel from next season and in doing so give him the opportunity to showcase his skills and talent in Formula 1. Jack will become the first driver to graduate from the Alpine Academy and take up a racing driver role within the team, which is exceptionally pleasing for the team and his journey as a young driver. Personally, I worked with Jack in 2019 and am fully aware of his raw talent and potential. He is a very hard worker behind the scenes and his commitment is hugely appreciated by the whole team. Alongside Pierre, we have a well-balanced line-up with a good combination of youthful energy, experience and pure speed.”
As for the 2025 grid, the situation is almost complete. Andrea Kimi Antonelli should be announced by Mercedes at Monza. Helmut Marko for his part has almost confirmed that Liam Lawson will be in a Red Bull galaxy car in 2025, probably at Racing Bulls. Which means that someone among Perez, Ricciardo and Tsunoda will not be there in 2025. The pressure!
