Mick Doohan's son starts his first full F1 season on a bitter note

Mick Doohan was one of the icons of the Grannd Prix motorcycle racing in the 1990s, and now his son Jack is trying to make his mark in Formula 1 – where he is making his full-time debut this year.

The Australian was promoted to the Alpine team, where he had been part of the structure for several years as a reserve driver. His debut came at the Abu Dhabi GP last year, substituting Esteban Ocon.

However, his first full season only began in 2025, and it kicked off last weekend at the Australian GP. But the race didn’t last long for Jack Doohan.

Qualifying was somewhat encouraging for the driver, with 14th place, just over seven-tenths behind his teammate – the already experienced Pierre Gasly. The race, at the street circuit of Albert Park in Melbourne, had very tricky conditions due to rain.

A small mistake was all it took for Jack Doohan to be forced to retire with extensive damage to the car, immediately on the fifth corner of the first lap – making it an unhappy debut. Now, he will have the chance to bounce back next weekend at the Chinese GP, on a conventional track with no forecast of bad weather.