After being dropped by Alpine just six races into the 2025 season to make way for Franco Colapinto’s return, the comeback of the son of the legendary two-wheel champion hasn’t been exactly memorable.

The Australian got back behind the wheel during a three-day test at Suzuka with Kondo Racing, but suffered two crashes on the first and second day — both in the same corner, the notorious Degner.

Doohan slammed heavily into the barriers with the rear of the car on day one, then crashed head-on at the same corner on day two, escaping unscathed physically but causing significant damage to the car.

Even on the third day, Doohan astonishingly crashed a third time, again at the same corner. All of this is a curious coincidence, considering the Australian had already brushed the barriers at the historic Japanese circuit during FP1 of the Formula 1 Grand Prix last April.

On that occasion, Doohan entered Turn 1 with the DRS still open, triggering an unavoidable spin that ended in a violent impact with the barriers - yet he once again managed to walk away unscathed.

Doohan hopes to secure a Super Formula seat this year with Kondo Racing, which, thanks to its Toyota engines, could potentially open the door for a return to Formula 1 as Haas’ reserve driver — the team having recently deepened its commercial ties with the Japanese giant.

For the rest of the season, Colapinto was, alongside Doohan, the only driver to score zero points, while teammate Pierre Gasly salvaged what he could with 22 points — yet it wasn’t enough to prevent Alpine from finishing last in the Constructors’ Championship.