Jack Doohan in frame for sensational Cadillac switch

Jack Doohan is in the frame for a sensational switch to the all-new Cadillac entry for the F1 2026 season.

As speculation grows surrounding who the all-new operation will hire, Doohan has emerged as one potential option.

Jack Doohan in discussion over potential Cadillac switch

PlanetF1.com understands conversations between Mick Doohan and Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon took place over the British Grand Prix weekend.

That follows on from the Monaco Grand Prix, where the pair were spotted in deep discussion.

Jack Doohan is currently working as Alpine’s reserve driver after he was benched by the squad following the Miami Grand Prix.

His seat has since been filled by Franco Colapinto, who arrived at Enstone from Williams during the off-season.

The Argentinian showed well during an extended cameo with Williams last season, but with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz under contract for F1 2026, his tenure was always going to be brief.

Colapinto’s arrival at Alpine heaped pressure on Doohan, who endured a rough start to the season with an opening lap crash at the Australian Grand Prix.

That was followed by a scrappy performance in China before a heavy smash during practice at the Japanese Grand Prix.

There were better signs through the Middle East and Doohan was unlucky not to be among the points in Bahrain, where and ill-time Safety Car cruelled his chances.

Another opening lap tangle in Miami marked the end of his time in the car for now, hauled out in favour of Colapinto – who himself is under pressure to improve.

Initially given a five-race trial, that has been unofficially extended through to the end of the season, with the 22-year-old likely to remain in the car through until Abu Dhabi with Doohan in a supporting role.

Meanwhile, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas have both been linked with the drive going forward.

Discussions with Perez are understood to regard next season and beyond, while Bottas is open to a more immediate switch.

Both drivers are attractive to Alpine for their experience, the same reason they are among the favourites for Cadillac.

Reports have claimed that Perez will be named as the team’s first driver in the near future, though multiple sources have confirmed to PlanetF1.com that there are no plans for any driver announcements.

Indeed, it’s understood the team is yet to sign a driver, with Graeme Lowdon continuing to work his way through a long list of candidates.

Zhou Guanyu is thought to be the front runner for one of the seats given his connections both to Lowdon and Cadillac’s engine supplier, Ferrari.

After three years with Sauber, the Chinese driver currently works as reserve driver for the Scuderia. His homeland is also a key market for Cadillac, which sells more cars there than in the United States.

Bottas and Perez are also firm favourites, while ex-Haas driver Mick Schumacher has also admitted that “talks are ongoing,” about his own possible F1 return.

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Nothing, however, is set in stone, and discussions remain ongoing with a host of drivers in the meantime.

That includes Doohan, with his five-time motorcycling world champion father having met with Lowdon on multiple occasions.

Doohan faces an uncertain future with Alpine which has, for the moment, thrown its support behind Colapinto.

With conversations regarding next year involving the likes of Perez and Bottas, it also implies that the 23-year-old does not feature in the squad’s longer-term thinking, either.

Against that backdrop, a potential move to Cadillac therefore make a great deal of sense for the Australian.

Whether he makes sense for Lowdown is less clear.

The Brit holds a commanding position within the current driver market as, outside of Mercedes, the Red Bull teams, and the seat alongside Pierre Gasly at Alpine, only Cadillac has opportunities next season.

Red Bull is likely to promote from within and Mercedes unlikely to look far from Kimi Antonelli or George Russell – unless Max Verstappen miraculously becomes available.

Even then, it is unlikely to impact on the drivers available to Cadillac as the squad works to vastly different criteria those the established teams.

Read more: Why Daniel Ricciardo is considered ‘wrong person’ for Cadillac F1