Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan is due to take part in his second FP1 session of the 2024 F1 season this weekend, taking to the cockpit of Pierre Gasly’s A524 in FP1 at Silverstone on Friday.
The session is part of F1’s rookie driver programme: under current regulations, each team must allow a rookie driver (a driver with less than two Grand Prix races) to practice twice per F1 season.
Doohan last took part in FP1 at the Canadian Grand Prix, but rain limited his time as reserve driver to just three laps.
The news comes ahead of a key test session for Doohan next week. As part of Alpine’s Test Classic Cars (TPC) programme, Doohan will be driving the A522 alongside Mercedes reserve driver and Alpine World Endurance Championship driver Mick Schumacher in a session at the Paul Ricard Circuit.
“As part of the TPC programme, we will test reserve driver Jack Doohan in line with the 2024 schedule and next week we will test Mick Schumacher at the Paul Ricard Circuit as part of the Alpine Endurance Project,” an Alpine spokesman said. I said last week“We look forward to continuing to utilise our race support team and A522 Formula 1 car for the duration of the TPC programme.”
Both Doohan and Schumacher are considered the front-runners to replace Esteban Ocon next season, after Alpine and Ocon previously announced they would part ways at the end of the 2024 F1 season. While Doohan and Schumacher are contenders for the seat, the team has also been working in recent weeks to lure Carlos Sainz Jr to Alpine for next year.
Schumacher may have an advantage over Doohan due to his F1 experience with Haas, but at the same time, he is not eligible to take part in practice sessions under F1’s rookie driver programme.
This gives Doohan a chance to impress this week and next.
