Jack Doohan handed Haas F1 chance as 2027 seat decision looms

Jack Doohan is set to test for Haas after the Spanish Grand Prix, with two other drivers set to join the Australian on track for the two-day event.

With uncertainty about the identity of the driver in the second Haas next year, reserve driver Jack Doohan will get a chance to impress team boss Ayao Komatsu and the squad when he climbs into the VF-25 at Jerez next week.

Jack Doohan to test Haas VF-26 at Jerez

Haas will carry out a two-day testing of previous cars [TPC] at Jerez on September 14 and 15, with three drivers taking part.

Jack Doohan, the former Alpine racer who took part in seven races with the Enstone-based squad, is one of those three, with the Australian being joined by Ryo Hirakawa and 2024 Super Formula Champion Sho Tsuboi; the two Japanese drivers being put forward to test from the Toyota Gazoo Racing driver stable.

It will mark Doohan’s return to an F1 cockpit for the first time since his short spell at Alpine was ended after last year’s Miami Grand Prix.

The test comes at a time when a seat at Haas is potentially up for grabs, should Komatsu opt not to continue with the incumbent Esteban Ocon, with the team boss confirming five names make up the shortlist for 2027, including Ocon.

The upcoming TPC comes off the back of another test, at Portugal’s Portimao, in which reigning Formula 3 Champion Rafael Camara participated alongside Hirakawa and McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli.

Paddock whispers suggest it was the Ferrari-backed Camara who impressed the most during this initial test, with the Brazilian now said to be the leading candidate if Ocon does not continue with Haas.

However, it is said that Toyota is keen to find Hirakawa a place on the F1 grid, with sources suggesting the 32-year-old, who is currently Haas’ other reserve driver and has taken part in two FP1 sessions so far this year, remains a viable candidate for the potential opening.

Rumours that Yuki Tsunoda, the Red Bull F1 reserve, is a candidate, are understood to be wide of the mark, with the Japanese driver not on the team’s radar.

While the upcoming test will give Doohan, Hirakawa, and Tsuboi a chance to impress Komatsu, there is no urgency to Haas’ decision-making, with the driver market having cooled considerably in the wake of several high-profile announcements recently.

Komatsu recently revealed that he is in no rush to make a decision, and joked about how the decision is, every day, getting a “day closer” when he spoke to media, including PlanetF1.com, at Monza a week ago.

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read Next: FIA confirms Valtteri Bottas punishment after Spanish Grand Prix investigation