Jack Doohan eyes ELMS drive to revive F1 hopes

Former Alpine F1 driver Jack Doohan is targeting a 2026 campaign in the European Le Mans Series as he urgently seeks a full-time racing seat to rebuild his career momentum. After a disappointing six-race stint in F1 and a collapsed Super Formula opportunity, the Australian is exploring the LMP2 category to stay race-sharp while serving as the reserve driver for Haas next season.

Why it matters:

Doohan's situation highlights the precarious nature of a young driver's career after losing an F1 seat. Without consistent racing, skills can diminish, making a return to the pinnacle of motorsport increasingly difficult. His pursuit of ELMS represents a strategic pivot to maintain relevance and performance, a path previously taken by drivers like Nyck de Vries and Felipe Drugovich while waiting for another F1 chance.

The details:

• Doohan's 2025 F1 debut with Alpine lasted just six races, failing to score points before being demoted back to reserve driver.
• A planned move to Japan's Super Formula series with Kondo Racing fell apart after a disastrous pre-season test where he crashed three times at Suzuka's Degner 2 corner.
• He has since secured a lifeline as the Haas F1 Team reserve driver for 2026, but this role offers minimal actual track time.
• To solve this, Doohan tested with 2023 ELMS champions Algarve Pro Racing in Abu Dhabi and is actively pursuing a seat in the six-round series for next year.
• A significant complication is that every ELMS round clashes with an F1 grand prix weekend, requiring careful logistical planning from Haas.

What's next:

Doohan's immediate goal is to finalize an ELMS program that allows him to race at Le Mans while fulfilling his Haas simulator and reserve duties. His long-term ambition remains clear: a full-time return to the F1 grid in 2027. Success in ELMS could provide the strong results and race fitness needed to convince an F1 team to take another chance on him, though the path back is notoriously challenging.