Aussie Jack Doohan, the son of legendary motorcycle racer Mick Doohan, is set to make his debut for Alpine next week after Esteban Ocon quit following Monday morning’s race in Qatar.
Ocon is leaving Alpine after five years to join Haas in 2025 but he had been expected to complete the 2024 campaign by featuring at next weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
However, it was announced on Sunday evening that Australian rookie Doohan, 21, would race for Alpine in the UAE instead of Ocon.
Therefore, Ocon’s final outing for his current team will be a very disappointing showing at the Qatar GP, where he crashed out during the opening lap.
He was eliminated following contact from Nico Hulkenberg, the man he is set to replace at Haas.
Speaking after Sunday’s crash, Ocon said: ‘It was wrong place, wrong time I think. Racing incident unfortunately.
Rookie Jack Doohan will replace Ocon, starting at next weekend’s Abu Dhabi GP in the UAE
Esteban Ocon pictured on Sunday after ending his Alpine career by crashing in the Qatar GP
‘I think we were all on the outside, started to get quite narrow. And unfortunately, we were already outside of the track when the collision occurred.
‘Unfortunately it’s an incident and a short race for us. Not something that we wanted, but I would like to thank the team for their hard work over this race and their hard work over the whole year.
‘When it’s going well, it’s good to stick together.
‘But when it’s not going so well the engineers and the mechanics stick together and that’s the most important thing.
‘I passed already Franco. I was on the left side of Nico. He was on the hard [tyre] so it was always going to be something like this, but unfortunately a short one for us.
‘It’s important to look ahead and see what we can prepare for the future.’
Alpine had confirmed back in August that Doohan would be replacing Ocon next year.
Doohan reacted at the time by saying: ‘I am so happy to secure promotion into a full-time race seat in 2025 with BWT Alpine F1 Team. I am very grateful for the trust and belief by the team’s senior management.
Ocon collided with Nico Hulkenberg during the opening lap of Sunday’s race in Lusail City
Jack Doohan and his girlfriend Ebony Zippora Gold
‘There is so much work ahead to be prepared and ready and I will give my best in the meantime to absorb as much information and knowledge to be ready for the step up.
‘It’s exceptionally satisfying to be the first graduate of the Alpine Academy to be in a race seat with the team and I’m extremely thankful to those who supported me along the way to make this a reality.
‘It’s an exciting moment, a proud day for my family, and I look forward to taking it all in and pushing hard behind the scenes.’
Doohan, whose father Mick is a five-time 500cc motorcycle world champion, carved a successful career in Formula 3 and Formula 2 before being Alpine’s permanent reserve driver and impressing team principal Oliver Oakes.
The emerging Australian talent was runner-up in the 2021 F3 championship and finished third in F2 ranks last year, when he notched six wins and five pole positions.
Doohan has been a reserve driver for Alpine for the past two years, after compatriot Piastri left the French team and joined McLaren.
The Formula 1 season finishes at the Abu Dhabi GP on Monday, December 9.
