In a heart-stopping moment at the Suzuka Circuit, Jack Doohan, the rookie sensation from Alpine, found himself at the center of a high-speed incident that left fans and team members holding their breath. During the second practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix, Doohan’s car spun wildly out of control, leading to a significant crash at Turn 1.
Doohan, who had not participated in the previous practice session due to a team strategy involving their junior driver Ryo Hirakawa, was back behind the wheel for the second round. However, his run was abruptly cut short. On the fourth lap, as he sped down towards the notorious Turn 1, his car inexplicably lost stability and veered into the barriers. The impact was substantial, crumpling the left side of his vehicle and drawing immediate concern from his team, who contacted him over the radio for a status check. ‘I’m okay, yeah,’ Doohan replied, though clearly shaken by the incident.
Isack Hadjar, trailing Doohan during this dramatic moment, expressed the collective shock with his exclamation, ‘Wow, big crash, big, big crash!’ Thankfully, Doohan’s assertion of being ‘okay’ was soon confirmed by Alpine, stating he was undergoing standard medical evaluation but was unhurt. After being assisted by the FIA’s medical team, he managed to exit his damaged car and walk towards the medical car without assistance, offering a sigh of relief to all.
As the dust settled, speculation about the crash’s cause began to swirl among experts and commentators. Ted Kravitz from the Sky F1 team suggested that a powerful tailwind might have played a pivotal role, pushing Doohan’s car into instability. ‘The wind has picked up, a proper tail wind pushing the cars down to Turn 1, Directly behind,’ he noted. Adding to this analysis, Anthony Davidson remarked on the unique challenges posed by F1 car dynamics under such conditions. ‘These cars really don’t like a tail wind,’ he explained, indicating that the combination of aerodynamics and potential suspension issues might have contributed to the crash.
Doohan’s crash, though dramatic, did not deter the young driver’s determined spirit. Within hours, he was seen strolling through the paddock, ready to debrief and learn from the event. Meanwhile, the Alpine team began a thorough investigation to uncover all possible factors leading to the mishap, ensuring such an event is unlikely to occur again.
While Jack Doohan’s crash at Suzuka was a stark reminder of the risks inherent in Formula 1, it also demonstrated the resilience and quick response mechanisms within the sport. With both driver and team looking forward to understanding and addressing the incident, the episode becomes another chapter in the unpredictable saga of racing at its highest level.
