Formula 1: After Esteban Ocon's departure, Australian Jack Doohan will drive with Pierre Gasly for Alpine in 2025

Jack Doohan pilotera pour Alpine en 2025. Hasan Bratic – Hasan Bratic

Australian Jack Doohan (21) will drive the second Alpine single-seater in 2025 alongside Frenchman Pierre Gasly, the Formula 1 team announced on Friday on the sidelines of the Dutch Grand Prix.

The son of Mick Doohan, five-time 500cc motorcycle world champion, who was reserve driver for the Franco-British team this year, will therefore discover Formula 1 and replace Frenchman Esteban Ocon, who signed with Haas.

Alpine failed to convince Carlos Sainz

“Jack will join Pierre Gasly in the team's duo next season and become the first Alpine Academy prospect to secure a seat with the team. Pierre and Jack offer the team a balance of youth and experience in a crew focused on building a prosperous future,”, Alpine wrote in its press release.

After failing to convince the experienced Spaniard Carlos Sainz, who eventually signed for Williams after losing his place at Ferrari to Briton Lewis Hamilton, Alpine has therefore fallen back on a promising young driver who knows the the team.

Third in the Formula 3 World Championship in 2021, Doohan then moved to Formula 2 where he finished sixth in 2022 and third in 2023. He has taken six wins, five podiums and five pole positions in two seasons in the F1 antechamber.

Doohan was preferred to Mick Schumacher

“I am very grateful for the trust placed in me by the team management. There is so much work to do to be ready and I will do my best to absorb as much information and knowledge as possible to be ready when the time comes to take the step,”, the Australian said in the statement.

“I have personally worked with Jack in 2019 and am fully aware of his raw talent and potential. He is a hard worker behind the scenes and his commitment is greatly appreciated by the whole team. With Pierre and him, we have a well-balanced line-up, mixing youthful energy, experience and pure speed,”, reacted Oliver Oakes, the new team principal.

Doohan was also preferred to Mick Schumacher, son of Michael, a F1 legend with seven world titles. The German had joined Alpine this season to drive one of the two Hypercars entered in the World Endurance Championship (WEC).