Jack Doohan has told Total-Motorsport.com he hopes to be back in a Formula 1 car “in the coming months” as he continues working towards a full-time return to the grid in 2027.
The Australian, who made his F1 debut at the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP after replacing Esteban Ocon at Alpine, began the 2025 season alongside Pierre Gasly. But his rookie campaign quickly became one of the most difficult storylines of the year.
Doohan was placed under immediate pressure after Franco Colapinto joined Alpine from Williams in January 2025, with speculation over his seat intensifying before the season had properly begun.
Despite showing flashes of promise in difficult circumstances, Doohan was demoted back to reserve driver from the Emilia Romagna GP, with Colapinto taking his place. But the 23-year-old has not given up on his F1 ambitions and joined Haas as reserve driver over the winter.
That means Doohan will be first in line if Ocon or Oliver Bearman are unable to race, while he also combines his F1 duties with a European Le Mans Series campaign for Nielsen Racing in an Oreca LMP2.
Doohan focused on Haas role
Asked by Total-Motorsport.com when he expects to be back in an F1 cockpit, Doohan made clear that he wants the opportunity soon, but is not treating his own return as the only priority.
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“I’d like to say, in the coming months,” Doohan said when asked by Total-Motorsport.com about when he expects to return to an F1 cockpit. “I think the focus, let’s say, isn’t so much me, me, me, right now. I’m more about the broader picture and making sure it works, with the team and every sort of distribution that has to go into making sure the car is fast, it can be as much as it can be, and everything is in plan.
“So I’m sure the time will be soon, but I’d say it’s not the outright priority; it’s early in the season.”
That answer reflects the more measured position Doohan now finds himself in. Rather than fighting weekly speculation around his race seat, he is embedded in a new environment at Haas, learning the team, supporting development and waiting for the next opening.
The timing of a return remains uncertain, and Doohan may have to wait until 2027 to secure another full-time chance. But his route back into F1 is still alive, particularly if he can make himself valuable to Haas while also staying race sharp in sports car competition.
Doohan in stronger place after Alpine exit
The contrast with this time last year is sharp. Doohan’s brief spell as an Alpine race driver was played out under heavy pressure from the moment Colapinto’s arrival became public.
Before the 2025 season began, Doohan repeatedly faced questions over whether he had only a handful of races to prove himself. His campaign started with encouragement when he reached Q2 at his home race in Melbourne, but the race itself ended in the wall after rain made conditions treacherous.
A heavy practice crash at Suzuka then added to the scrutiny, and by the time F1 reached Miami, Doohan appeared to be on borrowed time. The pressure also took a darker turn, with the Australian receiving death threats via email from people threatening to attack him if he raced in Miami.
The situation became serious enough for Doohan to request a police escort to protect himself and his partner from potential physical threats. But the experience did not break him. Now at Haas, Doohan says time, perspective and a fresh start have helped him move forward.
“For sure, because there’s another 12 months! [and] bruises heal,” Doohan added. “And it was all learning. I took so much from it and came out stronger, and in a happy place with Haas, learning the team and building relationships and in a new, fresh environment, which is nice and refreshing, obviously, not in the car, where I’d like to be.
“But all in due time, and I have no expectations, and take things day by day.”
That final line sums up where Doohan stands now. He is not pretending reserve duties are where he wants to remain, but he also knows rebuilding an F1 career rarely happens quickly.
His focus is on being ready, staying visible and making the most of every opportunity, whether that comes through Haas, endurance racing or a future opening elsewhere on the grid.
After a brutal Alpine exit, Doohan is still chasing Formula 1. This time, he is doing it from a calmer place.
