Who is Alpine F1 2025 hopeful Jack Doohan? World Champion father, Michael Schumacher links and more

Jack Doohan has emerged as a leading contender to complete Alpine’s driver line-up for the F1 2025 campaign.

With Esteban Ocon on his way to Haas, Alpine need to find a new team-mate for Pierre Gasly with Doohan potentially looking well set to get the nod. Perhaps a name unfamiliar to some Formula 1 fans, let’s fill in the blanks and delve deeper into the story of Alpine’s F1 2025 hopeful Jack Doohan.

How did Jack Doohan end up on Alpine’s F1 radar?

Doohan, the 21-year-old from Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, was originally picked up by the Red Bull Junior Team in 2017 and made his single-seater debut the following year, having impressed with a P3 finish in the CIK-FIA Karting European Championship standings and sixth in the World Championship.

Doohan’s time with Red Bull concluded at the end of the 2021 season, despite that year finishing runner-up in the Formula 3 Championship. There was a plan though, as Doohan was drawn to the Alpine Academy with promises of a comprehensive testing programme and Alpine’s World Endurance Championship presence. He called the decision a “no-brainer”.

Graduating to Formula 2, Doohan secured P6 and P3 finishes in the 2022 and 2023 Championships respectively as an Alpine-backed driver, with F1 2024 seeing him focus on his Alpine reserve driver role.

Unlike what went down with Doohan’s compatriot Oscar Piastri, Alpine can ensure that their investment into a bright young talent is rewarded by promoting Doohan to an F1 2025 race seat.

Jack Doohan has a multi-time World Champion father

While Jack Doohan will be a new name to some motorsport fans, his father is very well-known on the racing scene.

Mick Doohan achieved extensive title success in motorcycle racing, winning five consecutive World titles between 1994-1998 in the 500cc category, which would later become MotoGP. Mick Doohan and Honda were a truly fearsome union, all of Mick’s World titles achieved with Honda power.

Jack – whose mother is Selina Sines – was born on January 20, 2003, with Mick and Selina getting married on March 21, 2006.

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Michael Schumacher gave Jack Doohan his first kart

Who better to have as a neighbour and close family friend for any aspiring young racing driver than Michael Schumacher?

Jack’s father Mick and legendary seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher share a close friendship, the pair neighbours in Monaco at one stage, and Schumacher played a key role in the start of Jack’s racing journey in buying him his first go-kart.

In a past interview for the Formula 3 website, when Jack was asked who is racing hero is, he said: “Michael Schumacher. I was fortunate enough that he was a family friend from a young age.

“Michael used to visit us in Australia occasionally and stay with us because my dad and him were friends. They lived next door to each other in Monaco at one point.

“Michael gave me and my sister our first go-kart when we were three. Given everything he has accomplished and his whole mentality, he is someone whom I look up to massively.

“My father, as well, because of how much he achieved, knowing he came from nothing. He has given me the opportunity to be able to do this and I’ve been very fortunate to have been brought into this life. My dad didn’t have that luxury, so his dedication and work ethic were above and beyond and I hugely look up to that.”

Jack Doohan already has plenty of experience in a Formula 1 car

While Jack would be set for his first grand prix start should Alpine promote him for F1 2025, it will certainly not be the first time that he gets behind the wheel of Formula 1 machinery.

Jack’s first taste came in 2022 armed with the Alpine A521, which he manned around the Losail International Circuit, host of the Qatar Grand Prix. He drove that Alpine challenger at Monza and the Hungaroring later that year, as well as taking part in the Abu-Dhabi post-season Young Drivers’ Test.

Doohan drove the again A521 at Monza the following year, as well as returning for the Abu Dhabi Young Drivers’ Test.

And the young Aussie is no stranger to Formula 1 race weekend participation, having appeared in six Free Practice 1 sessions during his time with Alpine, those appearances coming at the 2022 and 2023 Mexican and Abu Dhabi GPs, before appearing in FP1 at the 2024 Canadian and British GPs.

He also drove the Alpine A522 at Zandvoort and at Circuit Paul Ricard in 2024 in a bid to further impress Alpine as they prepare to finalise their F1 2025 line-up, Doohan appearing to have positioned himself at the front of the queue.

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