A house Method 1 race is each blessing and curse for any driver – it doesn’t matter what PR guff they spout about discovering additional efficiency on acquainted circuits. However for driver Jack Doohan, there may be barely extra moving into Melbourne this weekend.
First up, he’s the ultimate driver in our rookie collection to technically not fulfil that standards – given his outing in final 12 months’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the place he realized he wants to change his grip on an F1 steering wheel to keep away from post-race thumb ache.
On the identical time, this implies there are numerous different issues he’s already taken in. These embody understanding F1’s delayed/aborted begin guidelines within the wake of the penalties dished out to way more skilled racers on the 2024 Brazilian GP.
However Doohan’s compatriot Oscar Piastri has admitted “I am most likely glad Melbourne wasn’t the opener in my rookie season, as a result of that will have been fairly full on”. And, regardless of his one-race F1 expertise final 12 months, this weekend goes to be precisely that for brand spanking new Alpine racer.
He was in Brazil because the group’s reserve driver – a task that had him in any respect 24 races final 12 months, with Doohan working in Alpine’s sim on each Friday the place a race was lower than three hours flight away, permitting him to achieve the paddock and full his stand-by duties (and lots of media appearances early on) after serving to and tweak their set-ups from afar.
However Alpine was not Doohan’s first junior backer – that was Pink Bull between 2017-2021. It was with the power drinks large’s junior group that Doohan arrived in Europe as an Australian karting champion to compete within the 2018 British Method 4 season.
Famously, he’s the son of five-time 500cc world champion Mick Doohan, however breaking his leg on a motorbike as a baby led the youthful Doohan down the four-wheeled path.
How F1 drivers are dealing with the stress on the Australian Grand Prix
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Doohan was then on condition that shock Abu Dhabi debut as Alpine’s relationship with Ocon imploded, the place he certified final and completed fifteenth.
For all the joy of Doohan’s begin to life as a full-time F1 driver, the hurdles haven’t stopped coming. And it was Alpine, largely, that put them there.
The group signed momentary 2024 driver Franco Colapinto to be certainly one of its 4 reserve drivers and it has been instructed it even paid to safe the Argentine’s providers.
This has unleashed hypothesis that Doohan’s contract has a clause that ensures him only a restricted variety of races in 2025. Alpine group principal Oliver Oakes didn’t deny this within the latest Bahrain pre-season take a look at.
Doohan bit again at questions on this example at F175 Reside in London final month, which happy Alpine’s administration.
Inevitably, the subject got here up once more within the pre-event press convention in Melbourne on Thursday, to which Doohan replied: “Nice query!
“To be sincere, I have not been eager about any of that. As a result of there is no level eager about rumours or commenting on them. I’ve a contract for at the least this 12 months, if no more.
Jack Doohan, Alpine
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“I look ahead to many house grands prix. And the uncertainties, you do not trouble worrying about them anyway. I’ve to carry out each time I am within the automotive, no matter if I’ve one man chasing my seat.
“We even have 4 now. Not simply Franco most likely desires in my seat, if not Pierre’s as nicely. And I needed their seats whereas I used to be reserve driver the final two years. I will take pleasure in each race because it’s my final as a result of I need to take pleasure in each second I am within the automotive.”
However, from the impressively savage shut down of the subject in a room filled with primarily simply the F1 press corps on the O2, Doohan’s reply this time was much more genial.
A broad grin adopted his preliminary reply as laughter echoed across the room in Melbourne.
And that is finally his solely alternative. He must take pleasure in what he can amid a clumsy state of affairs his group has created and hope it helps him attain his finest efficiency stage quick.
Heaping stress on drivers is simply how group govt advisor Flavio Briatore operates.
Photographs from Australian GP – ThursdayJack Doohan, Alpine
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Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
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Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
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Ferrari followers
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Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
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Ayao Komatsu, Crew Principal, Haas F1 Crew with conventional performers
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes with Charlie Curnow
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes on the Press Convention
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Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Crew
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Christian Horner, Pink Bull Racing
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Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
Sauber
Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Crew
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Jack Doohan, Alpine
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Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Crew
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Jack Doohan, Alpine be part of some Didgeredoo gamers
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
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Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber
Sauber
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
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Jack Doohan, Alpine
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing, Carlos Sainz Sr
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Nico Hulkenberg, Kick Sauber
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Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
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Valtteri Bottasm Mercedes talks with Graeme Lowdon
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
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Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Crew
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Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
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Liam Lawson, Pink Bull Racing
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George Russell, Mercedes
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine
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Franco Colapinto, Alpine
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Lando Norris, McLaren
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine
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Pink Bull Racing prepares for a pit cease
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Jack Doohan, Alpine
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