The future of Australian motorsport is in good hands, with a number of emerging young drivers achieving racing success around the world.
Jack Doohan is undoubtedly one of these talents, currently competing in the Formula 2 Championship.
The Sporting News takes you through what you need to know about the 20-year-old from the Gold Coast.
READ: Behind the ‘rollercoaster’ life of F1 trainer Michael Italiano
Jack Doohan’s career history
It has been a speedy ascent for Jack Doohan in the elite motorsport scene.
He competed in go-karting events until 2017 before he made the move to F4, taking part in the British Championship in 2018.
His strong performances saw him promoted to the F3 Asian Championship the following year, where he finished second in the 2019/20 season.
A move to the FIA F3 Championship followed, where Doohan struggled in his maiden season.
However, a switch from HWA Racelab to Trident in 2021 paid dividends, with the Australian finishing second and earning a promotion to F2, where he currently races.
Who does Jack Doohan currently race for?
Jack Doohan is currently competing in the Formula 2 Championship where he races for Virtuosi Racing.
The British team has competed in F2 since 2019, with their most notable alumni member being current Alfa Romeo F1 driver Zhou Guanyu.
For the 2022 season, Doohan was paired with Japanese racer Marino Sato.
In 28 races, he picked up three wins and notched six podiums, and could have easily boosted that tally with some better fortune.
Out of the rookies in that campaign, Doohan only finished behind Logan Sargeant – who will race for Williams in F1 this year – and Ayuma Iwasa.
Doohan has remained with Virtuosi Racing in 2023 for his second season in F2.
He is joined by Belgian driver Amaury Cordeel, who replaced the departing Sato.
Cordeel has moved from Van Amersfoort Racing, where he placed 17th in his debut F2 season.
Will Jack Doohan race in Formula 1? Young Australian named 2023 Alpine reserve driver
As it stands, Jack Doohan does not have a current or guaranteed future seat in F1.
With only 20 spots up for grabs each season, the young Australian’s work is cut out for him as he tries to prove himself against the world’s best.
However, in a promising move, Doohan has been named as Alpine’s official reserve driver for the 2023 F1 season.
Whilst his main focus will be racing in F2, he will be on hand to cover for Pierre Gasly or Esteban Ocon in case either driver is ruled out during a race weekend.
He already has some experience driving for Alpine during a Grand Prix, featuring in practice sessions in Mexico and Abu Dhabi last year, as well as the post-season tests.
Doohan will also continue as an Alpine academy driver this year, which provides potential inroads to the French team’s F1 set-up.
Notably, fellow Australian Oscar Piastri – who has earned a move to McLaren for 2023 – was also an academy member and reserve driver.
Is Jack Doohan related to Mick Doohan?
Yes, Jack Doohan is the son of motorcycle racing legend Mick Doohan.
Mick enjoyed a successful career, claiming five consecutive 500c World Championships and picking up 54 victories in his time in the series.
Despite his father’s achievements on two wheels, Jack opted to focus on racing in four-wheeled vehicles.
In fact, he was discouraged from pursuing a career in motorcycling after an accident at a young age.
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