Jack Doohan has opened up about a harrowing experience that unfolded around the time of last year’s Miami Grand Prix, when he received death threats and encountered armed men, leading him to involve the police. This incident reportedly occurred shortly before his surprising departure from his Formula One driving role with Alpine.
In the recently released season of the Netflix documentary series “Drive to Survive,” Doohan, an Australian driver, detailed the chilling threats he faced through emails, referring to the environment leading up to what would be his final race as “pretty heavy stuff.” He mentioned receiving multiple messages warning him that he would meet a grim fate if he remained in his car for the Miami race.
“I got serious death threats for this Grand Prix, saying they’re going to kill me here if I’m not out of the car,” Doohan revealed. “I had six or seven emails saying if I’m still in the car by Miami, that I’ll be, you know, all my limbs will be cut off.”
Doohan made his debut with Alpine during the last race of the 2024 season but was replaced by Franco Colapinto following the Miami Grand Prix in 2025, during which he struggled to score any points. Both Doohan and Colapinto notably finished the season without any points, with Alpine placing last in the constructors’ standings.
The intensity of the threats and his unsettling run-ins culminated in an incident where he encountered three armed men, prompting him to call for police assistance to handle the situation. While he refrained from providing details on the resolution of the encounter or identifying those involved, it highlighted the extreme pressures athletes can face.
In the aftermath of his replacement, Doohan took to social media to express his frustration about facing online abuse, suggesting that fans from Colapinto’s native Argentina were partially to blame for the negative comments aimed at him and his family.
Despite the challenges, Doohan’s resilience in the face of such adversity demonstrates his commitment to racing, and the support from his team and fans will be crucial as he transitions into his new role as a reserve driver for Haas. This experience serves as a reminder of the often overlooked struggles behind the scenes in the high-pressure world of professional sports.