Rising Formula 1 talent Jack Doohan, son of legendary Australian motorcycle racer Mick Doohan, has publicly revealed he received graphic death threats last year, which escalated to the point where he was provided with armed security for his personal protection. The alarming situation unfolded during his tenure driving for the Alpine team, reaching a critical peak ahead of the Miami Grand Prix on May 5, 2025.
Disturbing Revelations on Drive to Survive
Doohan made these disturbing disclosures on Netflix's popular F1 documentary series Drive to Survive, where he described the intense fear he experienced leading up to what would be his final race for Alpine before being replaced by Franco Colapinto. "I got serious death threats for this [Miami] Grand Prix, saying they're going to kill me here if I'm not out of the car," Doohan recounted. "I had six or seven emails saying if I am still in the car by Miami, all my limbs will be cut off."
Online Abuse and Fake Social Media Posts
Weeks after the Grand Prix, the 23-year-old driver issued an emotional public plea for online trolls to cease targeting his family, following a wave of vicious abuse on social media platforms. Doohan became the victim of an aggressive online campaign, largely driven by social media users believed to be from Argentina, after Colapinto joined the Alpine team.
The controversy intensified when a Formula 1 parody account named 'formulafakers' created a fake Instagram post falsely attributed to Doohan's father, former MotoGP world champion Mick Doohan. The digitally manipulated image showed Colapinto's wrecked Alpine car with a caption reading 'Very impressive' accompanied by laughing emojis, appearing to mock the Argentine driver. Several Argentinian media outlets mistakenly reported the post as genuine, sparking a flood of online attacks against the Doohan family.
Armed Protection During Miami Grand Prix
The abuse directed at Doohan transcended normal trolling and became so severe that he required a police escort and armed protection while attending the Miami race with his girlfriend Ebony Zippora Gold and his trainer. "I was there with my f****g girlfriend and my trainer, and I've got three f****g armed men around me. I had to call my police escort to come and get it under control," he explained during the documentary.
Performance Pressure and Team Changes
Doohan had been living under constant pressure throughout 2025 after deputising for Esteban Ocon at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2024. The signing of Colapinto added further strain, and his performance quickly deteriorated. He failed to score a single point across the opening six rounds of the season and crashed at his home Australian Grand Prix in dangerous conditions. Additional issues arose at Japan's Suzuka circuit when he attempted to take the first corner flat-out with DRS activated.
Alpine eventually replaced him with Colapinto ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, demoting Doohan to reserve duties before the team and driver mutually agreed to part ways in January 2026. Reflecting on this difficult period, Doohan stated, "I wasn't able to enjoy being a Formula 1 driver, something I dreamt of for so long. So yeah, it's pretty s***."
New Beginnings with Haas F1 Team
Earlier this month, Doohan announced he had joined the Haas F1 Team as a reserve driver for the 2026 Formula 1 season. He described Haas as the "ideal place" to continue his career development. "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," he said.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu expressed enthusiasm about Doohan's addition to the team, citing his valuable experience. "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," Komatsu remarked.
