New Alpine driver

Doohan: “The duel against Schumacher was strange”

Jack Doohan has secured the Alpine cockpit for the 2025 season.(Bild: AFP/GETTY IMAGES/CLIVE ROSE)

Jack Doohan has secured a cockpit seat in Formula 1 for the coming season. In an unofficial shootout against Mick Schumacher, he secured the vacant seat at Alpine. The Australian admits that dueling against his good friend of all people for this cockpit felt strange. 

Jack Doohan and Mick Schumacher have known each other since childhood; after all, their two families are friends. Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher and former motorcycle racer Mick Doohan are close friends, Mick was even named after Papa Doohan. But Mick and Jack, of all people, now had to duel for a place in the premier class.

"Driving against my good friend that day was really strange," Doohan now admits to formula1.de. A few weeks ago, Alpine invited the two drivers to an internal duel for the vacant cockpit for the 2025 season. 

A competitive driver market
Times or other details of this duel were never published by the racing team. In the end, however, the Australian prevailed, as Alpine recently announced that Doohan would drive alongside Pierre Gasly. The 21-year-old also made it because he managed not to lose his focus in the end, as he reveals: "For me, it was just business." 

Away from the duel against Schumacher, there has also been a lot going on in the driver market recently. Many established drivers were looking for a new cockpit and were seen as further competition for the Australian. "There was just so much going on. So I had to be patient and really work hard to make sure I got the maximum out of the car every time I was in it." An endeavor that the 21-year-old has successfully accomplished.