Photo: Alpine
Jack Doohan will make his Formula 1 debut with Alpine one race early when he replaces Esteban Ocon for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Multiple Formula 2 race-winner Doohan was already due to replace Ocon next season after the Frenchman parted ways with the team and signed with Haas for 2025.
However, Ocon’s time at Alpine has now come to an unexpectedly early end. Alpine says this arrangement will release Ocon to drive for Haas in the post-season test that follows the race weekend at Yas Marina – an opportunity that had always been anticipated anyway – but it marks an unceremonious end to his tenure with the team with which he won the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.
After completing a two-year stint in F2, in which he won six races and came sixth and third in the standings, Doohan has not raced in any category in 2024, focusing instead on his reserve driver and private testing duties with Alpine. He has taken part in two free practice sessions this year, at Montreal and Silverstone.
The team has confirmed he will also take part in the post-season Abu Dhabi test as had been planned.
Doohan will be the first graduate from the Enstone outfit’s own academy to race for the team since Romain Grosjean made the step up from GP2 in 2009. He is one of five drivers confirmed to take part in their first full F1 seasons next year, along with Gabriel Bortoleto at Sauber, Ollie Bearman at Haas, Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes and Red Bull-contracted Liam Lawson.
Alpine announced during the Qatar Grand Prix last weekend that it has signed current F2 frontrunner Paul Aron to take over Doohan’s role as reserve driver for next season.