Everything pointed to former Alpine driver Jack Doohan racing this year in Super Formula, Japan’s national single seater class. After a series of tests with Kondo Racing, a Toyota offshoot, the path looked clear for a permanent seat. His entry into the new season was, however, pulled at the last minute. Doohan raced in seven Grands Prix for Alpine before losing his seat to Franco Colapinto early last year.
Kondo Racing announced on Friday that it has signed Ukyo Sasahara. The second seat is earmarked for Williams reserve driver Luke Browning. As a result, Jack Doohan has missed out. Doohan’s disastrous test debut may have contributed to the call; in December he crashed three times in three days at Suzuka. Still, those costly mistakes are not believed to be the principal reason he was passed over. Reports indicate negotiations collapsed over the budget the Australian was expected to bring for his campaign.
No seat
Alongside a seat at Kondo Racing, Jack Doohan was also linked to a reserve role at Haas, given the close ties between the American outfit and Toyota’s racing division. Little more is known about that potential deal. For the 23‑year‑old driver this means he currently has no race seat for 2026. Last year he remained active as Alpine’s reserve driver, but that collaboration was already ended in January.
“The team wants to thank Jack for his dedication and professionalism over the past four years, both on and off the track, and wishes him all the best for the future,” Alpine wrote on social media. Doohan was the first driver to progress from the French outfit’s development programme into Formula 1.
