Jack Doohan’s Miami Grand Prix ended abruptly on the first lap after a collision with Liam Lawson, leaving the Australian rookie to reflect on a disappointing weekend. The incident, which occurred at Turn 1, saw Doohan’s Alpine sustain a puncture and significant damage, forcing him to retire from the race. Lawson, driving for Racing Bulls, also suffered damage and retired after 38 laps. The clash capped a challenging weekend for both drivers, with Doohan expressing a mix of frustration and diplomacy in his post-race comments.
Starting from the middle of the pack, Doohan faced a tough challenge navigating the congested opening corners. As the field funneled into Turn 1, he found himself squeezed, with no room to avoid contact with Lawson’s car. The impact tore the tire off Doohan’s Alpine and sent Lawson’s car skyward, effectively ending both drivers’ hopes of a competitive race. “It was a tough end to the weekend for my side of the garage,” Doohan said, acknowledging the difficulty of starting mid-grid. “We were squeezed going into Turn 1, and with nowhere to go, we had contact with Lawson.”
Despite the setback, Doohan remained measured, avoiding casting blame. “Obviously in the moment you’re disappointed and you’re mad, but you never know, he could have had a car on his outside squeezing him,” he noted. “I don’t want to put any blame in any direction. It didn’t end well for me, which is disappointing.” Doohan emphasized the need for self-reflection, stating he would review the incident to determine if he could have done anything differently. “In this current point, I don’t think there was much I could have done,” he added, describing the contact as “unavoidable.”
The incident marked another setback in what has been a challenging rookie season for Doohan. Despite showing promise, including out-qualifying teammate Pierre Gasly in Miami, the 22-year-old has yet to score a point in six races. His season has been marred by incidents, including a lap one crash in Australia, penalties in China, and a practice crash in Japan. The Miami collision added fuel to speculation about his future with Alpine, with reports suggesting the team is considering replacing him with reserve driver Franco Colapinto for the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Lawson, meanwhile, also faced a frustrating weekend. The New Zealander, who started 15th, had shown promise in the sprint race but lost a potential points finish due to a penalty for a collision with Fernando Alonso. His clash with Doohan further compounded a difficult Miami Grand Prix, with Lawson reporting over the radio, “I got completely hit, mate. I have no idea what Alpine was doing.” Like Doohan, Lawson’s season has been point-less so far, adding pressure to deliver results for Racing Bulls.
The collision drew attention from Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz, who noted Doohan’s disappointment as he was consoled by his father, Mick Doohan, in the paddock. “Jack only lasted half a lap,” Kravitz said, highlighting the young driver’s struggles. Alpine’s team boss, Ollie Oakes, pulled out of a media session post-race, and the team has remained non-committal about Doohan’s future, with Oakes stating Doohan was their driver “as it is today.”