Jack Doohan has joined Haas F1 Team as a reserve driver for the Formula 1 season, with an eye toward securing a full-time race seat in . The announcement, made on , follows Doohan’s departure from Alpine last month.
The announcement sees Doohan joining Japanese racer Ryō Hirakawa as reserve drivers for the American team. Doohan, 23, brings Formula 1 experience, having made his debut at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Alpine. He subsequently raced in the first six rounds of the season, starting with the Australian Grand Prix and continuing through the Miami Grand Prix.
Doohan’s stint as a race driver for Alpine was cut short after the Miami Grand Prix, with Franco Colapinto taking over the seat. He continued in a reserve role for the remainder of , but ultimately parted ways with the team. “I’m thrilled to be joining TGR Haas F1 Team,” Doohan said in a statement. “It’s the ideal place to continue my Formula 1 career. I would like to thank the team for giving me the opportunity to grow and take on the great challenge of together. I’m eager to begin working with the team and collaborating on a successful season.”
Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu expressed his excitement about the signing, highlighting Doohan’s racing resume and experience as a reserve driver. “The dedication required to remain sharp and prepared to race while getting to know how the team works and so on, it’s challenging for any driver – especially one who’s obviously still very keen to race again at this level,” Komatsu stated. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know Jack and we’re looking forward to welcoming him into the team and benefiting from his contributions.”
Doohan’s arrival at Haas presents a clear pathway back to a full-time racing role. The team currently fields Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman as its race drivers, but Bearman’s contract is primarily with Ferrari. While Ocon is under a “multi-year” deal, its duration beyond is not guaranteed, potentially creating an opportunity for Doohan.
Beyond the potential for a race seat, Haas offers Doohan access to an expanding testing program. The team’s technical partnership with Toyota includes an extensive schedule of private testing using older cars, providing valuable track time for drivers like Doohan to maintain their skills and contribute to development.
Prior to joining Haas, Doohan explored opportunities with other teams, including Williams and Sauber. However, Haas emerged as the most likely destination, offering the most promising route for a return to racing.
Interestingly, a potential move to Japan’s Super Formula series did not materialize. Doohan had tested with the Kondo team, which runs Toyota engines, at Suzuka in , and appeared to be on track to join the team for alongside Luke Browning. However, negotiations fell through due to disagreements regarding the engineering setup and competitiveness of the Kondo team’s #4 car. The team has struggled for results in recent seasons, and Doohan’s camp sought assurances of improvements that could not be agreed upon.
Doohan’s father, Mick Doohan, is a five-time 500cc motorcycling World Champion. Jack Doohan enjoyed a successful junior career, finishing as runner-up in the FIA Formula 3 series in and achieving third place in the FIA Formula 2 series in , with multiple race victories.
Doohan has not participated in a full racing season since his Formula 2 campaign. It remains unclear whether he will pursue any additional racing programs alongside his reserve driver duties with Haas, though he was previously linked to a potential Hypercar drive in the World Endurance Championship.
