Australian younger gun Jack Doohan has been named Alpine’s official reserve driver for the 2023 System One season.
“We now have a brand new reserve driver,” Alpine crew principal Otmar Szafnauer stated on the crew’s season launch on Friday (AEDT).
Watch Each Apply, Qualifying & Race of the 2023 FIA System One World Championship™ Reside on Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin your free trial now >
“Though he can’t be with us right here tonight as a result of he’s in Bahrain, preparing for the F2 Championship the place he needs to be, testing, however we want to announce to all of our Australian buddies right here and others that Jack Doohan will likely be our Reserve Driver for 2023.”
Doohan drives for Virtuosi Racing in System 2 however is a part of Alpine’s junior academy and final yr drove an F1 automobile as a part of his growth program.
He will likely be hoping to observe within the footsteps of fellow Australian Oscar Piastri, who progressed by means of Alpine’s junior ranks earlier than becoming a member of the grid, albeit for a unique crew in McLaren.
Doohan will likely be back-up to Alpine’s all-French pairing of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, which would require a extra rigorous schedule of travelling to 23 F1 races.
He will likely be one in all two Australians retaining F1 seats heat in 2023, with Daniel Ricciardo to share Pink Bull reserve driver duties with Kiwi teenager Liam Lawson after being sacked by McLaren.
Doohan is the son of five-time MotoGP world champion Mick Doohan and counts F1 legend Michael Schumacher as a childhood mentor.
The 20-year-old loved a breakout System 2 season final yr, claiming three victories.
Doohan endured horror luck within the again half of the season as a number of crashes ruined his possibilities of a late run for the championship, however he will likely be a favorite for the F2 title in his second season this yr.
The 14-round System 2 season, which runs alongside the F1 season, begins in Bahrain in March.
