The 21-year-old is the official reserve driver for Alpine in Formula 1, a role he officially stepped into for 2023.
He’s retained that for the coming year and will work in support of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon despite not having a racing programme of his own following the decision not to continue in Formula 2 for a third season.
In Australia during the off-season, Doohan spent much of that time training. He also took in his first triathlon and is not targeting more.
“Everyone is saying at this time of year training is good, that I’m the fittest I’ve ever been and whatnot,” Doohan told Speedcafe.
“But to be honest, I do feel that way.
“I was able to go further and start training for more triathlon and long, endurance training.
“I completed in my first half-marathon race, did a triathlon out there on January 14 as well.
“Now I’m training for an Olympic, international championship tri in Cannes coming up as well, and then a half ironman in Nice in June.”
Doohan elected to remain in the reserve driver role with Alpine and pursue his F1 dream despite high quality offers elsewhere.
That saw the Queenslander linked with a move into the French marque’s World Endurance Championship programme, following his good friend Mick Schumacher.
“I had quite a number of really good options for next year, in all championships under Formula 1, which was great,” Doohan said.
“However, myself and the team, especially the team, they want me to just fully focus and be on site, be in the sim, and try and make the most of being a Formula 1 driver which inevitably will help me, hopefully, when I can get a seat in the very near future.
“If I was racing in another championship, I just wouldn’t be able to have that full clarity on that role.”
And so Doohan has thrown himself into his training and preparations, along with a programme that will allow him to do so in a competitive environment of sorts.
“I’m training to be fir in the car but also I’m enjoying going into a new sport,” he admitted.
“Not because that’s where I want to go, but just trying to keep in that mindset and keep making me on edge.
“It’s nice having something that you’re working towards,” he added.
“I knew there was always plenty more to getting a full-time seat than staying fit, but also now that I have an actual plan to go to for a designated task, that always helps as well.”
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