Doohan Bids Alpine Farewell, Eyes Haas Reserve Role for 2026

Jack Doohan has seemingly ended his tumultuous tenure with Alpine through a cryptic, caption-less social media post. The move comes as the Australian driver is poised for a new chapter, reportedly lining up a reserve driver role with Haas for the 2026 season, creating a potential F1 lifeline after losing his race seat mid-season.

Why it matters:

For a driver like Doohan, losing a race seat can be a career-ending blow. Securing a reserve role with a team like Haas, especially one with deepening ties to a major manufacturer like Toyota, is crucial for staying on the F1 grid. It also signals the evolving landscape of F1 partnerships, where manufacturer support in other series can directly influence F1 driver lineups.

The details:

• Doohan contested the first six races of the 2025 season for Alpine but was replaced by Franco Colapinto without scoring a single point.
• His link to Haas is connected to a potential drive in Japan's Super Formula series with support from Toyota.
• Toyota's Influence: Toyota is expanding its technical partnership with Haas for 2026, with the team set to compete as "TGR Haas F1 Team." This connection opened the door for Doohan.
• The new role would likely see Doohan support Haas's 2026 race drivers, Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon.
• He recently tested a Super Formula car at Suzuka but crashed three times, an incident attributed to extensive experimentation with the car's setup.

What's next:

Doohan's immediate future likely involves a dual program: competing in Super Formula to hone his racecraft and serving as Haas's reserve driver. This combination could be the perfect platform to rebuild his F1 credentials. If he can impress in both roles, he'll be well-positioned to step into a full-time race seat should an opportunity arise, keeping his F1 aspirations very much alive.