“Alpine’s Jack Doohan Opens Up About Conversations with Daniel Ricciardo Ahead of F1 Season”……read more
Alpine driver Jack Doohan recently shared insights into his conversations with former Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo as the 2025 season gets underway with the Australian Grand Prix. Doohan revealed that he had regular discussions with Ricciardo toward the end of last year, and the two caught up briefly in Los Angeles before heading to Las Vegas. While they haven’t been in touch much recently, Doohan mentioned that Ricciardo is thoroughly enjoying his life away from the racing circuit, free from the usual pressures of F1.
Ricciardo, who was axed from his F1 seat, has been relishing his time outside the sport and appears to be at peace with this phase of his life. Doohan expressed his admiration for Ricciardo’s decision to step away from F1, emphasizing how it’s great to see another Australian, Doohan himself, continue on the grid. However, he did acknowledge how much it would have been special to have Ricciardo still competing, especially given the strong Australian presence this season with Doohan joining fellow countryman Oscar Piastri on the grid.
The 2025 season will see plenty of attention on Lewis Hamilton, who is making his debut for Ferrari after leaving Mercedes. Hamilton is chasing a historic eighth world drivers’ championship, but faces tough competition from defending champion Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris, who are both strong contenders for the title. This season is also marked by several driver changes, with only McLaren and Aston Martin retaining the same driver pairings as they had at the end of 2024.
For Doohan, having Ricciardo as a fellow Australian on the grid would have been a dream scenario, but he takes pride in carrying the Aussie legacy forward with Piastri. With Ricciardo’s absence from the grid, Doohan reflects on how having another Aussie driver would have been a special addition, but still feels fortunate to be part of this era in F1. Despite Ricciardo’s exit, Doohan remains optimistic and excited for what lies ahead this season.
