How the latest 'son of' youngster found his feet in F3

From scoring zero points in 2020 to finding himself third in the FIA Formula 3 drivers' standings this year, Jack Doohan is finally starting to prove himself as a competitive force to be reckoned with.

With a new team to settle into, as well as having to share a surname with his world-famous motorcycle racing champion father, the Red Bull Junior could be forgiven for feeling under pressure in 2021.

But Doohan has taken it in his stride, quickly finding his feet at Trident and emerging from the first two rounds as the squad's fastest driver.

He showed early promise in testing, both post-season in 2020 and pre-season this year. He was second quickest around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in October, behind team-mate Clement Novalak, before topping the timesheets at Jerez a few weeks later.

His pace slipped slightly at the Red Bull Ring, finishing 19th quickest across the two days, but he was back on form when they returned to Catalunya in April, finishing third quickest behind Victor Martins (MP Motorsport) and ART Grand Prix’s Alexander Smolyar, the latter of whom has won two races so far this season.

In the first six races of the season, Doohan has claimed 58 points, with one win and one additional podium propelling him to third in the championship behind Prema Racing’s Dennis Hauger and rookie Martins.

Having finished second in the first feature race in Barcelona and first in the most recent round at Paul Ricard, Doohan seems to be settling into F3.

Jack Doohan, Trident

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

He entered the championship in 2020 with a promising track record, looking like his career was on the up as he improved year on year. He finished fifth in British F4 in 2018, taking three wins, 12 podiums and seven fastest laps across the year, and also contested a handful of ADAC and Italian F4 events.

Doohan then graduated to F3 machinery in 2019, finishing runner-up in the Asian series with five wins, and ended the Euroformula Open season in 11th place after taking two podiums.

But his time at HWA Racelab in FIA F3 proved fruitless, taking zero points in 2020 and retiring from four out of 18 races.

This year, the plucky Australian has totally turned it around.

"I’m obviously very thankful for the last name I have and for the benefits, but in one way it only gets you so far. Especially in this game, you don’t perform then you’re out" Jack Doohan

Asked whether he’d put his newfound success down to the experience he gained last year or to a different approach to racing, Doohan said: “I’d say both. Unfortunately last year, like you said, no points, and I didn’t really have too much knowledge available to me, so I had to learn basically everything on my own last year, which came in the results – I was just never really comfortable at any point.

“And then for this year obviously a new format requires anyway a different approach. So I was able to learn a lot in post-season testing and pre-season testing with Trident, that brought me on quite a lot, especially because in previous years, Paul Ricard has probably been my worst circuit – well, Barcelona and Paul Ricard have probably been my worst circuits in car racing. Especially Paul Ricard, as it’s on the calendar, Dad last year was asking if I was going to be OK with that.

“So it brought me on a lot and as well the approach with this year’s format, you have to be consistent and not take a huge amount of risk.

“Yeah just everything coming together – knowledge of the championship, how to race, how to be quick, so I’m happy that it’s starting to pay off.”

Jack Doohan and Mick Doohan during round two of the FIA Formula 3 Championship at Circuit Paul Ricard in France

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Doohan mentions his conversations with his father about racing – that father knows more than most, being former motorcycle racing world champion Mick Doohan.

The Australian legend won five consecutive 500cc world championships between 1994 and 1998, with only Giacomo Agostini, Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez having won more.

Speaking ahead of the last round in France, Doohan said he only feels the “slightest bit of pressure” because of his name.

"I’m obviously very thankful for the last name I have and for the benefits, but in one way it only gets you so far," Doohan said. "Especially in this game, you don’t perform then you’re out. I feel like after last year I’m very lucky to get another opportunity this year, and a chance to show my potential.

"But on the pressure side of things, I feel, as you said, it would be a lot more were I to take the two-wheeled route, so on the four-wheeled route obviously there’s the slightest bit of pressure, probably.

"It stands out maybe a little bit more on a level probably if you’re not performing. But I’m putting that kind of not performing stage in the past and focus on myself, making sure that I’m the best I can be with the team around me and the car I’ve got and hopefully then enjoying the pressure, in a way, if that makes sense."

Looking ahead to the next round at the Red Bull Ring this weekend, Doohan should continue his good form. He knows the circuit well, having raced there several times, including the double-header that kickstarted the F3 championship last year. He also took second place there racing in Euroformula in 2019.

He said after the last race that the win “still feels like a dream” but, with his current performance, that dream could become more of a reality in the future.

Jack Doohan during round two of the FIA Formula 3 Championship at Circuit Paul Ricard in France

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool