Jack Duhan: The testing schedule is very tight

Alpine reserve driver Jack Duane is part of his team’s Goodwood programme this weekend, driving the Lotus E20 car that Kimi Raikkonen won at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Granted, it’s already painted in Alpine colours.

Incidentally, you will also see his father, the legendary Australian motorcycle racer, on the Festival of Speed ​​circuit, who won the 500cc world championship title five times in a row in the 1990s. Of course, Mick Duane remembers his youth, back in the saddle of a Honda racing bike.

Jack, 21, has a busy schedule in July. He drove Pierre Gasly’s car in Friday practice at Silverstone just over a week ago, and spent the weekend working with the Alpine team at the British round of the season. He then headed to the south of France, where he took part in a private test at Le Castellet alongside Mick Schumacher to drive the 2022 A522 car.

These works will continue next week.

“Yes, there are still a few test days planned, where I will drive the 2022 car,” Speedcafe quotes Duane. – Before the Hungarian Grand Prix, I will drive a few more days at Silverstone with the A522.

After Budapest and before Spa I will test in Imola, after which I will already work on the Pirelli tyre tests in Spa and the day before I will drive the A522 again. The test schedule is very tight, so of course we are looking forward to the summer break!”

Jack Douhan remains one of the contenders for a seat at Alpine for 2025, as the team has so far only confirmed a multi-year deal with Gasly. But the Australian has serious competition: Mick Schumacher races for Alpine in endurance racing and has two seasons of experience in Haas F1.

There is no need to talk about Carlos Sainz – if the Spaniard agrees to sign a contract with the Renault factory team, the young drivers will have to do other things for at least another season.