Jack Doohan’s 2026 deal with Haas keeps the Australian near the F1 grid as reserve driver, joining the American team after parting ways with Alpine. The move keeps the Australian embedded in the paddock alongside race drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman, while he is expected to combine the role with a Super Formula campaign sponsored by Toyota.
Doohan’s path from Alpine to Haas
Doohan’s switch comes after two difficult years in Formula 1 with Alpine, where he progressed from academy member to reserve and then full‑time race driver before losing his seat six rounds through the 2025 season. After he made his debut at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he raced until Miami in 2025 but did not score any points before Alpine reshuffled its line‑up and brought in Franco Colapinto instead. Even so, the team continued to rely on him for simulator work and race weekend support, which underlined how highly they valued his technical feedback.
Before reaching F1, Doohan had already built an impressive junior record, finishing second in the 2021 FIA Formula 3 Championship and then taking sixth and third in consecutive FIA Formula 2 seasons, with three feature race wins in 2023 alone. That blend of qualifying pace and race craft convinced Alpine to give him multiple FP1 outings between 2022 and 2024, experience that now becomes directly relevant as Haas seek a reserve who can step into a Grand Prix weekend at short notice.
Jack Doohan’s 2026 Haas F1 move: why it matters
Haas will enter 2026 with a locked in race pairing of Ocon and Bearman, both on multi‑year deals. Bearman has been under scrutiny for his penalty point tally, while current third driver Ryō Hirakawa remains heavily committed to Toyota’s World Endurance Championship programme, potentially stretching the team’s cover across 24 races. The Haas reserve driver role gives Doohan crucial simulator mileage, proven F2 experience and up to date knowledge of modern F1 cars, all without compromising their main line up.
The deepening partnership between Haas and Toyota also shapes this move. Toyota returned to F1 activities in 2024 as a technical partner and the team will race as TGR Haas F1 Team in 2026. The manufacturer supports a dual programme that keeps Doohan race sharp in Super Formula while he remains available for F1 duties. That plan mirrors Toyota’s wider strategy of using Japan’s premier single seater category as a high‑level proving ground.
What this means for Doohan’s long‑term prospects
Strategically, the reserve role offers Doohan a way to reset his F1 career without disappearing from the grid entirely. At Alpine, the path back to a race seat narrowed once the team committed to Gasly and Colapinto for 2026, making an external move almost essential if he wanted to remain in the conversation for future vacancies. At Haas, by contrast, he joins just as the team is investing in new technical resources and a fresh identity with Toyota, positioning him as a logical option if circumstances force a mid-season change or if a seat opens beyond 2026.
In the meantime, his workload is likely to be substantial, reserve duties usually involve extensive simulator running, correlation work on new parts and occasional FP1 outings on race weekends, particularly on circuits where teams are keen to share mileage between race drivers and their wider pool. If he can deliver consistently strong feedback and capitalise on any track time that comes his way, Haas’ 2026 reserve agreement may prove less a holding pattern and more the bridge to a second shot at a full‑time Formula 1 seat.
Jack Doohan
“I’m thrilled to be joining TGR Haas F1 Team.
“It’s the ideal place to continue my Formula 1 career. I would like to thank the team for giving me the opportunity to grow and take on the great challenge of 2026 together.
“I’m eager to begin working with the team and collaborating on a successful season.’’
Ayao Komatsu
“I’m personally very excited to have Jack join us on the team given the strength of his racing resume and of course his experience in being a reserve driver in Formula 1.
“The dedication required to remain sharp and prepared to race while getting to know how the team works and so on, it’s challenging for any driver – especially one who’s obviously still very keen to race again at this level.
“I’ve enjoyed getting to know Jack and we’re looking forward to welcoming him into the team and benefiting from his contributions.”
