For his first 58 laps of racing in Formula 1, Jack Doohan managed to stay out of trouble in Abu Dhabi. Despite a lively session, with the collision between Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri at the first corner, the retirements of Sergio Pérez and Franco Colapinto or the accident between Valtteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen, none of these events involved the driver freshly parachuted into the Alpine single-seater, which finished 15th in its first F1 Grand Prix.
Jack Doohan delivered a smooth, error-free performance in a car lacking any development. The young 21-year-old driver even helped his teammate, Pierre Gasly, obtain DRS on the long straight to escape in front of Nico Hülkenberg. The new arrival of the French team says to himself “ super grateful for every lap, for the experience, and for the team », at the end of its first weekend. “ It’s great that we finished 6th in the constructors’ standings and Pierre 10th in the drivers’ standings, it’s a very good result from him “, welcomes Esteban Ocon’s replacement.
Learn for the future
Announced as a starter for the 2025 season, this late participation was seen as a potential poisoned gift from the team advised by Flavio Briatore. However, the Gold Coast native concluded this premiere brilliantly. Jack Doohan draws lessons for the coming year: “I must learn to master hard tireshe observed, I wondered how hard to push during the first 20 laps with the Hards during the second stint (…) I think I can push more and use them a little more. »
« I was happy to finish in the same pace as the others with the same strategy at the end of the race, so I’m looking forward to enjoying it next season » announces the Australian, who thanks the whole team “ for this opportunity and for everything they did to prepare me for this race. » His biggest difficulties during his first Grand Prix? His thumbs! “They weren’t working very well at the end of the race, to be honest, he told SpeedCafe. It was weird, something I didn’t expect. » Jack Doohan remains in Abu Dhabi for Tuesday’s post-season testing, before returning to Enstone to celebrate the end of the year with the team and prepare for the 2025 deadlines.
-READ ALSO > Having left Sauber, Bottas evokes a “relief” but above all a career “mistake”
Belgium
