Alpine have confirmed that their Australian reserve driver Jack Doohan is set to replace Esteban Ocon during Friday’s free practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix and it could be the perfect audition for a full-time seat in Formula 1.
We could well be seeing three Australian drivers on the grid in 2025 if the stars align for Alpine’s rookie driver Jack Doohan. The Gold Coast driver has been quietly plying his trade with the French Formula 1 team since making the switch from Red Bull’s junior programme to Alpine in 2022, opting to not compete in the lower competitions to boost his chances of securing a full-time seat in Formula 1
A runner-up in the 2021 Formula 3 Championship, Doohan has been patiently waiting for his opportunity at Alpine. But with the news that Esteban Ocon will be leaving the team, a scheduled practice session in Montreal could be the springboard he’s been hoping for.
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Jack Doohan will take the first FP1 of the season in Canada
The sport’s regulations state that each team must run a rookie in two FP1 sessions during the campaign and this will be Doohan’s first opportunity to impress with the updated car for 2024. The Queenslander recorded his first lap times as an Alpine junior around Mexico and Abu Dhabi in 2022, returning to those circuits again in 2023.
“[I’m] really excited to get out on track in Montreal for FP1 – it will be my first time driving at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which I am looking forward to,” Doohan said.
“I am grateful to the team for the opportunity to get more track time, and also familiarise myself with 2024 machinery early in the season. This will also help with the work I am doing in the simulator, particularly at the European rounds.”
Doohan could have a full-time F1 seat next season
Alpine currently sit at 9th place in the Constructors’ Championship and it’s been a poor start to the campaign by their two drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon who have only managed to score one point each from eight races.
Both driver’s futures in the sport remain unclear: Gasly’s contract runs until the end of the 2024 season – although it’s understood the outfit has an option to extend his deal until 2025 – and Esteban Ocon will be leaving the French racing team at the end of the season in search of a new challenge after five years. The team could be looking at two empty seats after the final chequered flag falls in Abu Dhabi.
Whilst the rumours begin to circulate regarding Ocon’s next move in the sport, speculation is heating up regarding the full-time seat that he’ll inevitably leave behind. If Jack Doohan puts up some good numbers at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, he has as good a chance as any to make the step up permanent in 2025.