Alpine’s Jack Doohan recently opened up about the “strange” experience of going head-to-head with his good friend Mick Schumacher in a crucial F1 test session earlier this summer.
Labeled as a proper shootout by the media that would help Alpine select its second driver for 2025, the session was held at the Circuit Paul Ricard Circuit ahead of last July’s British Grand Prix.
Both Doohan and Schumacher were given the opportunity to showcase their skills behind the wheel of Alpine’s 2022-spec A522 car, with a race seat on the line for next season.
Reflecting on the day, Doohan admitted that the situation felt a bit unusual, given the long-standing strong rapport between Schumacher and himself, rooted in their fathers’ friendship.
"It was strange," said the son of 500cc motorcycle legend Mick Doohan. "For me, I kept it business. I didn’t think of it in any other way than, at the end of the day, I’m just going to hop into the car and drive as fast as I can.
“It doesn’t matter who’s next to me. It doesn’t mean I’m going to be any different outside the car. But when I hop in, I have that mindset to be as fast as I can."
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Doohan’s focus during the test was clear - he was determined to secure the seat, regardless of the competition.
“Whatever the outcome was of that, I think I positioned myself to make sure that I was first in line to get this this seat, regardless of who it was next to me,” he added.
The 21-year-old driver’s dedication paid off. Two weeks ago, ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, Alpine announced that Doohan who had been serving as the team’s reserve driver, would be promoted to a full-time race seat for 2025, replacing Esteban Ocon as Pierre Gasly’s teammate.
The Aussie, who had also completed several FP1 sessions with the Enstone squad, had positioned himself well within the team by consistently performing whenever given the chance.
Looking back, Doohan revealed that an opportunity to join the grid in 2025 with Alpine became clear in the first few months of this season’s campaign.
“After the first quarter of the year, I knew there was… let’s say, a rabbit to chase, a possibility that I can fight for this," he explained.
"There was no given task. There was obviously a lot of people [drivers] that were still out of contract and so much going on, so I had to be very patient and bide my time and really feed my case, make sure I maximised every time I got behind the wheel."
Despite the pressure and competition, Doohan's patience and focus were ultimately rewarded.
“I’m grateful that the patience paid off, as well as not racing, because that is a risk. But potentially, if I didn’t take that risk, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Although Doohan has now secured his future seat, he will continue in his reserve driver role in the final months of Alpine’s 2024 season, refining his skills with simulator duties and real-life tests in the A522 car.
Meanwhile, Schumacher is set to complete the remainder of the World Endurance Championship for Alpine, as both drivers continue their respective journeys with the French manufacturer.
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