Mick Doohan blasts Alpine: “Jack was replaced before the season even started”. Mick Doohan has criticised Alpine over the handling of Jack Doohan’s Formula 1 exit.

The 2025 Formula 1 season has been a difficult and turbulent one for Jack Doohan, whose F1 career came to an abrupt halt after just seven Grands Prix, making way for a replacement who, in terms of reputation, was not significantly more established.

The dream of Jack Doohan — and of his legendary father, Mick Doohan — was put on hold after the Miami Grand Prix, which marked his last appearance in the paddock as a full-time Formula 1 driver. Since then, he has remained on the sidelines, first as a driver effectively frozen out within 0, and now at 1 in a reserve driver role behind Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman.

He has also attempted to rebuild his career elsewhere, competing in Japan’s Super Formula series (with limited success) and later moving into the European Le Mans Series. It has been a particularly challenging year for the young Australian driver, a situation that his father Mick Doohan addressed in an interview with Spanish sports newspaper Marca.

Mick Doohan’s criticism of Alpine

“Alpine? I cannot really comment on what happened,” said the five-time 500cc World Champion. “But I believe the treatment Jack received was unfair. It has been like that from the beginning, because they had already decided to replace the driver before the season even started. And in the end, that is essentially what they did.”

“My son had a long-term contract with the team, he was part of the Alpine Academy, and he was the first driver from that programme to reach Formula 1. But it quickly became clear, for reasons I cannot discuss, that things were heading in a different direction. And that is how it went.”

After leaving the F1 seat, Jack Doohan suffered a couple of incidents during winter testing in Japan’s Super Formula, which forced him to abandon plans to compete in the championship. He then shifted his focus to endurance racing, joining the European Le Mans Series — traditionally seen as a stepping stone towards the World Endurance Championship.

“Jack is a strong young man, and his plan is to race,” Mick Doohan continued. “Right now he is in Barcelona with a racing car, working with Haas as a third driver and hoping to secure a seat. Maybe with a team that shows a bit more respect for the contracts that are already signed…”

He concluded.