Jack Doohan Reveals Disturbing Death Threats Faced During Rise to Alpine F1 Seat in New ‘Drive to Survive’ Season

Alpine F1's Jack Doohan opens up about "shocking" death threats and online abuse during his rise to a 2026 seat. Read about his resilient journey.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 26, 2026, 7:34 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Motorsport.com

The Dark Side of the Digital Paddock

While the world of Formula 1 is often synonymous with glamour and high-speed competition, the latest season of Drive to Survive pulls back the curtain on a much darker reality for young athletes. Jack Doohan, who was recently promoted to a full-time seat with Alpine for the 2026 season, used his segment in the documentary to address the "shocking" level of vitriol he encountered on social media. As he moved closer to securing his dream of a Grand Prix start, Doohan became a target for anonymous users, receiving messages that went far beyond typical sporting criticism and entered the territory of death threats.

Navigating the Alpine Driver Crisis

The abuse largely stemmed from the intense and often divisive speculation surrounding Alpine’s driver lineup following the exits of Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri. As a prominent member of the Alpine Academy, Doohan was frequently positioned as a potential replacement, which inadvertently made him a lightning rod for the frustrations of various fanbases. "People can be very brave behind a keyboard," Doohan remarked in the series. He described a period where every promotional post or session appearance was met with a wave of negativity, with some individuals expressing a desire for him to suffer physical harm.

The Psychological Impact on a Developing Driver

For a driver still in the formative stages of his professional career, the impact of such sustained harassment was significant. Doohan admitted that there were times when the online noise made it difficult to focus on his technical responsibilities as a reserve driver. Despite the support of his family—including his father, five-time MotoGP world champion Mick Doohan—Jack noted that nothing prepares a young person for the scale of global digital hostility. The documentary highlights how the Alpine team had to increase its internal mental health support and digital security protocols to protect their young talent during these peak periods of volatility.