Doohan: Strong start at home in Melbourne 'important'
Yesterday at 06:42 AM
Alpine rookie Jack Doohan is determined to kick off his maiden Formula 1 season with a strong display at his home race in Melbourne next weekend.
The young Australian, who made his F1 race debut with the French outfit in Abu Dhabi at the end of last year, is relishing the opportunity to start his first full-time campaign on familiar ground.
With Alpine's promising pre-season test behind him, he knows a strong performance in front of his home crowd could set the tone for his 2025 campaign – and he's determined to make it count.
A Dream Start on Home Soil
As Australia's local hero, along with McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Doohan will be at the center of the excitement at Albert Park where he has only raced once before, in Formula 2 in 2023.
"I cannot wait to kick off the 2025 Formula 1 season and doing it on home turf in Australia makes it even more special," he said.
"Starting my full-time rookie season in Albert Park is a dream come true and the support from the fans will be incredible so I will be soaking up every moment."
Years of dedication have led to this opportunity, and Doohan is laser-focused on delivering.
"I have worked so hard for this opportunity, now it is about working closely with the team and ensuring I extract the absolute maximum from the car."
The Albert Park circuit's hybrid nature and recent changes, like the reprofiled Turn 6 exit kerb to prevent past crashes, will demand quick adaptation.
"Albert Park is a tricky circuit, it is part street track, part permanent circuit, which makes it unique," Doohan noted.
"The surface can be slippery, and getting into a rhythm early is key."
Setting the Tone for 2025
Fresh off a solid pre-season test in Bahrain, where the Alpine A525—an evolution of the 2024 A524—showed reliability and pace, Doohan heads to Melbourne with cautious optimism.
Some pundits even peg Alpine as a potential fifth-fastest team this year. For the 22-year-old apprentice, a big result at home could ignite his season.
"A strong start to the season is always important, so I am hoping we can put everything together and kick things off the right way," he said.
"It is hard to predict exactly where we will be in terms of performance until we get out on track in Melbourne, but our goal is to optimise every aspect of the car and put ourselves in the best possible position."
Teamed with the seasoned Gasly, Doohan will have a guidepost as he learns the ropes, but in Melbourne, all eyes will be on him—a local talent with a chance to dazzle.
A standout performance would boost his confidence, cement his role at Alpine, and signal his arrival in F1. As the grandstands fill and the lights go out, Jack Doohan is ready to turn his hope into action.
Read also: Alpine's Doohan confident 'there's much more to come'
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