'It was clear, for reasons I can’t say, that a different direction was taken'

The son of the five-time MotoGP world champion endured a short and difficult spell at Alpine last year, before being replaced after just six races to make way for Franco Colapinto.

Speaking to MARCA, Doohan Sr suggested the situation was handled unfairly from the outset, pointing out that a replacement had effectively been lined up even before the season began.

He stressed that his son was on a long-term deal and had been Alpine’s first academy driver to make the step up, but that the team ultimately chose to go in a different direction for reasons he did not elaborate on.

“I really can’t comment on that, but I think it was unfair. It was from the start. They replaced a driver before the season even began. And basically, that was it. My son had a long-term contract; he was Alpine’s first junior driver to arrive. It was clear, for reasons I can’t say, that a different direction was taken. And that’s all there is to it.”

He then added: “Jack is a strong young man. He’s currently racing in Barcelona in a race car. He’s with Haas F1 now, as a reserve driver, looking to secure a seat, perhaps with a team that’s more committed to contracts.”

The 23-year-old joined the British outfit to compete in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS). Doohan’s move to the sports car team saw him take the wheel of the #24 LMP2 Oreca, alongside Briton Ed Pearson and Israeli Roy Nissany. The deal was completed ahead of the start of the 2026 ELMS season, which got underway with the 4 Hours of Barcelona at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The Aussie said he was excited to return to racing in 2026 and to begin his first LMP2 campaign with Nielsen Racing, describing it as a new challenge with plenty to learn but expressing confidence in getting up to speed quickly thanks to the strength of the team.

He also highlighted the blend of experience and motivation within the line-up, pointing to the potential to build strong chemistry and fight for results, while noting that the Oreca 07 represents a very different and demanding challenge.