An episode of the Netflix series details the build-up to the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, which proved to be Doohan’s last F1 start with the French team.
Even before that race, there had been speculation that Doohan’s time at Alpine was up.
An episode, titled ‘Strictly Business’ follows Doohan and the controversial team boss Flavio Briatore.
Doohan was ultimately replaced by Argentina’s Franco Colapinto mid-way through the 2025 season, and he remained with Alpine into 2026 alongside Pierre Gasly.
“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 says in the episode.
“I had six or seven emails saying if I am still in the car by Miami, all my limbs will be cut off.”
In another scene, Doohan recounted: “I was there with my fucking girlfriend and my trainer, and I got three fucking men, like, armed men.
“I had to call my police escort to come and get it under control.”
In statements, Alpine and F1 said it knew about the threats and acted accordingly by upping security for Doohan.
“Formula 1 is a family and a community that is based on respect and support for each other,” said F1 in a statement.
“There is no place for abusive behaviour either online or in person and the whole sport stands united against anyone that attempts to undermine our values.
“As a community and will report anyone found to be acting in this way to the appropriate authorities and platforms.”
Doohan’s career lasted just six grands prix. He crashed in his home race, the Australian Grand Prix, at Albert Park.
The Gold Coast-born driver suffered two non-finishes in his short spell, with the only standout a 13th place finish at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
The Drive to Survive episode includes a scene in which Gasly claimed people had been talking about Doohan in a “toxic” way.
Doohan’s family was also subject to harassment. Fabricated images purportedly posted by his father Mick to Instagram in the wake of Colapinto’s crash at Imola circulated on social media and caused backlash from Argentine fans.
Doohan remained with Alpine to the end of the 2026 season as a reserve driver, though he never raced in Formula 1 competitively again.
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